One of the many new features introduced by Ford at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was an updated version of its SYNC® Destinations smartphone app that is now compatible with SYNC AppLink™ for in-car voice-activated control.

To help show how SYNC Destinations can help you get where you want to go, we asked David Gersabeck, Product Manager for SYNC Services, to give us a demonstration at the show.

SYNC Destinations is a free mobile app for SYNC Services users, giving Ford vehicle owners the ability to easily send destinations to their vehicle using their smartphone.

It is one of five new apps Ford announced and demonstrated at the 2012 International CES. Click here to see all of the Ford stories form the show.

With the addition of Ford SYNC AppLink support, the app enables drivers to use simple voice commands to get on-the-go traffic reports to any of their favorite destination points. Users can report traffic incidents to share with the entire SYNC Destinations community, get to-the-minute incident reports, and leverage their smartphone’s data network to download turn-by-turn directions and destinations directly to their vehicle.

With the first version of SYNC Destinations, Ford owners had the capability to get on-the-go access to their cloud-based SYNC Services account. Drivers could add, save and manage destinations or Saved Points like they do using www.syncmyride.com. Locations added using SYNC Destinations were easily accessible through SYNC Services in the vehicle.

The new version of SYNC Destinations takes the experience to the next level. Now the SYNC Destinations app combines with SYNC AppLink to leverage the power of the smartphone’s data connection to download directions into the vehicle using simple voice commands. Users can also access traffic/incident reports while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Users simply speak the commands “Mobile Apps,” “SYNC Destinations,” followed by “Traffic to” and the name of a saved destination to instantly get the fastest route to their destination. The command, “Directions,” followed by the name of a saved destination enables users to download voice-guided turn-by-turn directions into the vehicle.

Drivers also can use the SYNC Destinations app’s community reporting feature to “Report an accident” to other fellow SYNC Services drivers to forewarn them of potential traffic delays.

Ford vehicle owners who do not have AppLink can still download the new version of SYNC Destinations and enjoy the following new features:

• Access real-time traffic information and incident reports covering every major interstate, highway, arterial and city street in North America
• Gather reliable traffic forecasts that cut travel times and save money by consuming less fuel
• Get comparative traffic reports delivering fast insight into which roads are better or worse than normal for that time of day
• View previously unsaved destinations and convert them into a Saved Point
• Access alternate route options to any Saved Points
• Leverage international language support for Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hungarian and Dutch
• Send a destination to the vehicle using the “Send to SYNC” feature via a smartphone. Directions for this destination can then be downloaded by using SYNC Services. Previously, users could only utilize Send to SYNC from their computer or laptop using Mapquest and Google

This new version of SYNC Destinations continues to be a free download for SYNC Services users and will be available for iPhone owners via the iTunes App Store. Owners with active SYNC Services accounts can download and use this app. This version of SYNC Destinations will also be made available for BlackBerry and Android users in the first quarter of 2012.

SYNC Destinations now joins the growing SYNC AppLink ecosystem of mobile apps including Pandora, Stitcher, Slacker Radio and OpenBeak. SYNC AppLink is available on 10 vehicles for 2012.