The number of cell phones, MP3 players, personal digital assistants and laptops that people use in their cars has increased dramatically in the last few years.

Whether you bring this gear with you on the way to the office or on a cross country trip, the snarl of wires you have to use to connect it all together can be a mess.

Ford and Microsoft have been working together for some time to find a way to better manage the information and entertainment options facing the modern driver, with a mind towards integrating multiple devices.

This year they have released a system called ‘Sync’ which promises to help tame the technological tangle.

Sync offers several impressive features. Controlled by a text display integrated into the car’s stereo system, Sync offers hands free Bluetooth connectivity for 12 individual phones.

The system is so advanced it will even read text messages received on your cell phone aloud to you as you drive and give you the chance to respond via verbal commands. This voice recognition technology also allows phones to be dialed by speaking in 3 different languages.

Bluetooth is also used as an interface between portable MP3 players and the car’s audio system. Streaming of Internet audio is also supported from laptops and personal digital assistants. If you are looking for a faster connection, simply connect your device directly to Sync via USB.

Voice control is also used to navigate through your play lists, making the system control buttons on the steering wheel almost redundant.

Initially deployed in a dozen vehicles, Ford intends to offer Sync in all of their automobiles by 2009. With the focus on hands free connectivity and voice commands, the Sync system is not only convenient, but it lets the driver concentrate more on the road and less on the cell phones and music players that distract us from what’s really important – safety.