At Ford, you’ll soon be able to download your options.

Thinking of car options as simple apps to download? That’s what Ford is proposing.

You’re probably familiar with Apple’s App Store or Google’s Android Market. These are the best-known online app stores for the new generation of mobile users and hands-free kits.

What if this app phenomenon could also be applied to cars? “Good heavens, how is that possible?” you might ask… Ford SYNC, or how to update your car via the internet.

The system developed by Ford is inspired by the mobile app stores we know today. Thus, equipped vehicles could download (for a fee, of course) new maps for their GPS, new operating modes for the automatic transmission (sportier, more comfortable, etc.), or even for the engine. The Ford SYNC system is still in the testing phase, and its biggest challenge will certainly be its resistance to cyberattacks, which is far from guaranteed. That’s why the first equipped vehicles will only offer entertainment applications, which are less vulnerable to hacking. It is expected to launch next year.