Home » Ford’s Rolling Out In-Car Karaoke So You Can Sing Your Lungs Out While You Charge

Ford’s Rolling Out In-Car Karaoke So You Can Sing Your Lungs Out While You Charge

Ford Karaoke Ts
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A reality of EV road trips is that you will end up charging at a public DC fast charger at some point, and new and novel ways to pass the time would be nice. Sure, you could doomscroll, but that’s unhealthy. Likewise, reading is great if it’s just you, but if you’re dealing with a carful of people, you’d want to keep them all entertained, right? Turns out Ford had just that thought, because it’s getting loud and launching in-car karaoke. Let’s hope your passengers aren’t off-key.

See, Ford’s partnering with Stingray, the Canadian music broadcasting company, to bring karaoke to its cars, and when you’re parked, the experience sounds remarkably convincing. Not only will you see lyrics scrolling on the infotainment screen, you’ll have a wide assortment of genres and languages to choose from, which is pretty important simply on an inclusionary basis.

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Ford isn’t the first automaker to offer in-car karaoke, but it might be the first in America to offer it while driving. See, with the car underway, lyrics won’t appear on the infotainment screen because that’s a distraction and legal probably wouldn’t be happy with that. Instead, a QR code appears for passengers to scan with their phones, leading to a webpage that can add songs to the queue and display lyrics, so those not directly behind the wheel can belt it out to their heart’s content.

F 150 Lightning Stingray Karaoke App

Of course, there’s no mention of an actual microphone, but come on, you’re in a car. How amplified does your singing voice really need to be? However, if you do deem those sorts of shenanigans to be necessary, there’s a surprising market for third-party in-car karaoke mics, which once again, absolutely are not to be used while driving.

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F 150 Lightning Flash 2

At first, the Stingray Karaoke app will roll out to 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning owners, followed by Mustang Mach-E owners, and then every Ford and Lincoln with the latest generation of infotainment. Sadly, owners of Fords with Sync3, like the pre-facelift Maverick, are going to be out of luck, and that just kinda sucks. The Maverick’s a four-wheeled party machine, and karaoke would be a perfect fit. The other catch? You may need a connectivity plan for karaoke to work, but there may be a way around this subscription fee — the karaoke app will also work if your Ford is connected to Wi-Fi, so you might be able to just hotspot it off your phone.

Mustang Mach E Stingray Karaoke App

As far as digital features go, this seems heaps more useful than BMW’s in-car video games. See, phone video games are getting pretty good, while karaoke exclusively on your phone is still a bit shit. Unless you have it hooked into Bluetooth Audio, all you’re going to get is sound from two tinny speakers, so infotainment integration actually ups the game. So long as you aren’t 100 percent locked into a data plan, in-car karaoke seems like a pretty good thing. Now, who wants to duet some Taking Back Sunday?

(Photo credits: Ford)

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Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
16 days ago

Great. NO THANKs. Will not TOUCH a Ford at this point. Loud music is distracting and annoying to those who need sleep.

Next up on Farley..Introduce Innappropriate ADs/Things? Pretty sure he will be in for a MIGHTY lawsuit at that point….

RallyMech
RallyMech
17 days ago

Hooray! More gimmicky crap to do while waiting 30-45 minutes for your battery to charge. I really wish automakers would quit with the whizbang infotainment junk.

James Carson
James Carson
18 days ago

“It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine).”

Mark E. Post
Mark E. Post
18 days ago

Lovely. Just when the world was finally forgetting about James Corden.

Ron, on the reservation
Ron, on the reservation
18 days ago

There is a single charging station next to where I pick up my groceries. It’s occasionally used, but whenever it is, the car is occupied and the (un)driver has a pissed off expression on their face. I understand. I am retired, but my time still has value greater than watching a battery charge. A karaoke option would only add to the insulting injury.

ADDvanced
ADDvanced
18 days ago

I think that’s actually a pretty great idea, and if everyone in the vehicle is into the song, it’d be pretty fun

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
17 days ago
Reply to  ADDvanced

I feel Bohemian Rhapsody needs to come standard with it.

Jason Vorhan
Jason Vorhan
18 days ago

This is my worst nightmare for road trips with a full car of people.

Maryland J
Maryland J
18 days ago

If it’s stationary, I can see a potential for a partnership with one of the dish providers as a pay per view option.

A. Barth
A. Barth
18 days ago

I’m rather surprised that so far no one has called it “car-aoke”. Hmm.

anAutopian
anAutopian
18 days ago
Reply to  A. Barth

Somebody did. I think that’s why Ford naming it that.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
18 days ago

Alright then what’s on the Autopian’s karaoke playlist? I’m happy to do Devil Went Down To Georgia or Clint Eastwood. Maybe if I’m really feeling it I’ll do Roses. Abba is off limits. So is anything by Journey or Bon Jovi….

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
18 days ago

I’m in for Sisters of Mercy This Corrosion, but only with Adrian doing backing vocals.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
18 days ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

Adrian is participating in all Sisters songs. Just don’t ask him to do anything by The Cure…although I will happily join in

A. Barth
A. Barth
18 days ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

And I’m waiting

And I wait in vain

Nine while nine

I’m waiting for the train damncartocharge

StillNotATony
StillNotATony
18 days ago

We’re doing George Thorogood! Everybody sing with me!!

“One bourbon! One Scotch! One beeeeer!”

Gene1969
Gene1969
17 days ago

I want to see one of them try “Take on me” by A-ha.

The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
18 days ago

You know, there’s really nothing wrong with just existing in melancholic solitude for a few minutes. You don’t constantly need to be making noise every waking second of your life.

Ben
Ben
18 days ago

I was reaching for the radio button last night while driving with the top off, but I stopped because I realized I’d just as soon listen to the wind rush past and the song of a V8. It’s just become habit to have man-made noise happening at all times.

The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
The NSX Was Only in Development for 4 Years
18 days ago
Reply to  Ben

I’ve made it a point to just have complete silence whenever possible and I feel like it’s helped my anxiety greatly. I’ve also lost my mind but that’s unrelated.

TheDrunkenWrench
TheDrunkenWrench
18 days ago

Pfft. As my fellow motorists during rush hour can attest, I need no fancy system to serenade them through my open windows.

I’d gladly take a Blues Brothers-esque loudspeaker to better reach my audience, though. The world NEEDS to hear my rendition of 4 Non Blondes’ classic “What’s Up”.

Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
16 days ago

I drove a rental Land Cruiser GXR V8 2019 in Qatar…and I can tell you its JBL speakers were pretty good with rock/metal music…although not as good as a GMT900 Silverado.

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