Anybody who has sat still on the I-465 loop at 5 p.m. knows how much a smarter route can change the rest of your evening. For drivers in and around Indianapolis, Indiana, the Ford Connectivity Package turns a truck or SUV into a rolling hotspot, with live traffic maps on the center screen and enough bandwidth to keep the back seat happy all the way home.
Ray Skillman Ford sells and services a lot of these vehicles across central Indiana, and this is easily one of the features people ask us about most. The first year comes included with activation, so you can try the whole thing before deciding whether it’s worth keeping. Our product specialists handle setup in the Ford app before you leave the lot.
Driving here comes with its own rhythm. Construction season rearranges the North Split, race traffic clogs West 16th Street, and a snow squall can turn a quick run down Keystone Avenue into a slow crawl. Embedded navigation reads all of that in real time and reroutes you without waiting on a phone signal. Because the maps live in the vehicle itself, they keep working in the parking garages downtown and out on the county roads where cell coverage gets thin.
Here’s a look at what the package can include. The exact mix depends on which model and trim you’re driving.
| Feature | What It Does | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Hotspot | 4G and 5G hotspot with unlimited data | Up to 10 devices, active within 50 feet of the vehicle |
| Embedded Maps | Turn-by-turn routing with live traffic and weather | Works without a phone connected, saved locations included |
| Smart Routing | Trailer-friendly routes and EV charger planning | Avoids narrow roads and weight-restricted bridges when towing |
| Audio Streaming | Spotify and other premium audio apps on the center screen | Runs while driving, no phone tethering required |
| Video Streaming | YouTube, plus HBO Max, Prime Video, and Peacock on Google-equipped models | Available only while the vehicle is parked |
| Games and Karaoke | Stingray Karaoke and downloadable games | Gaming titles come from Google Play, parked use only |
| Video Conferencing | Webex calls with shared content and live video | Parked use, ideal for a between-meetings work session |
| Voice Assistant | Hands-free commands for routes, music, and calls | Alexa on most models, Google Assistant with Gemini on others |
Ten devices within a 50-foot radius covers a lot of ground. Kids can stay on their tablets through a Saturday drive down to Brown County. A teenager can finish homework in the second row on the way back from a game. Park at the trailhead in Eagle Creek Park or at a soccer complex in Fishers, Indiana, and the signal still reaches the folding chairs. Customers in Carmel, Indiana, tell us they treat it like a mobile office, answering email from the driver’s seat instead of hunting for a coffee shop with decent internet. Browse our new Ford inventory online to see which models carry the hardware.
Cloud-based traffic data updates constantly, so the system spots a wreck on I-65 before you’re close enough to be stuck behind it. That matters during any month with orange barrels, which around here feels like most of them. Commuters heading into Indianapolis, Indiana, from the south side get the biggest payoff, since the system watches the whole corridor instead of only the road you happen to be sitting on. Weather routing helps in January too, when a band of snow turns the evening drive home into a two-hour affair. Towing a boat up to Geist Reservoir or hauling a trailer out toward Plainfield, Indiana? Smart routing keeps you on roads that can handle the length and weight, which beats discovering a low clearance the hard way.
Some of the best use of this technology happens when the vehicle isn’t moving at all. Waiting in the pickup line at school, killing an hour before a concert at Ruoff, sitting out a downpour at the fairgrounds. The center screen becomes a TV, a game console, or a karaoke machine depending on who grabbed the remote. Families with an Expedition or Explorer get the widest app selection since those models run Google built-in, opening up the Play Store for streaming services and games. Video stays locked out while you’re driving, which is exactly how it should be.
Ford Connectivity Package availability depends on the model, the trim, and sometimes the equipment group you choose. Here’s where things stand across the lineup.
| Ford Model | Availability | Voice and App Platform |
|---|---|---|
| F-150 | Current models, XLT through Raptor | Alexa |
| Super Duty | Current models, XLT through Platinum | Alexa |
| Maverick | Current models, Lobo through Tremor | Alexa |
| Bronco | Current models, Big Bend through Raptor | Alexa |
| Mustang | Current models, EcoBoost Premium through Dark Horse | Alexa |
| Explorer | Current models, all trims | Google built-in with Gemini |
| Expedition | Current models, all trims. Some earlier model years also qualify, so call us to check a specific vehicle. | Google built-in with Gemini |
| Mustang Mach-E | Current models, Select through Rally. Some earlier model years also qualify, so call us to check a specific vehicle. | Alexa |
Map access on certain trims ties to an equipment group, so give our team a call before you commit to a build. That way, you’ll know exactly what a specific stock number includes.
Our reputation here rests on making car ownership easy, from the test drive to the day you bring your Ford back for its first oil change. Technology counts as part of that. Nobody wants to drive off the lot holding a login screen they don’t understand, so we set up the Ford Connectivity Package with you, get the app talking to your vehicle, and make sure the hotspot is live before you go. Stop by our Greenwood, Indiana, showroom and we’ll show you how it works on whichever model catches your eye.
Yes. New Fords equipped with the hardware come with the first year included once you activate it in the Ford app. After that year, you can continue on a monthly or annual plan, or ask us about the single upfront option that covers seven years from your warranty start date. Pricing shifts occasionally, so we’ll go over the current numbers with you at the dealership.
It does, as long as you’re within 50 feet of the vehicle and there’s cellular coverage in the area. Tailgating, camping, and race weekends are some of the most popular reasons people keep the plan going after the included year ends.
Video on the center screen only plays when the vehicle is in park. Audio streaming, embedded maps, and the voice assistant all work while you’re moving, and passengers can watch whatever they want on their own devices using the hotspot.
That’s where the feature earns its keep. Traffic and construction data comes from the cloud rather than a static map file, so closures and lane restrictions show up quickly. The system offers a reroute and you decide whether to take it.
It depends on the vehicle. The package stays tied to a specific VIN, and plans don’t transfer between owners. If a pre-owned Ford on our lot has the right hardware, a new owner can activate a plan on it. Ask our sales team to check any vehicle you’re considering.
Plans tied to a monthly or annual subscription end with your ownership, so a master reset before trade-in is a good habit. If you paid the single upfront amount, that coverage stays with the vehicle through its seven-year window. Bring your questions to our team and we’ll sort it out during your trade-in appraisal.
