This major release extended comprehensive diagnostic coverage for most Ford and Lincoln vehicles through the 2019 model year.
The software's version history is tied to the evolution of the hardware interfaces it supports:
As Ford moved toward Sync 3 and connected vehicles (Model year 2016-2019), IDS began to show its age. Version 86.0 added the "Ford Etis" integration—pulling vehicle history directly from the cloud. This was powerful but infuriatingly slow. Rural shops with DSL internet watched progress bars for 45 minutes just to read a VIN.
. While WDS relied on bulky, dedicated tablets (the PTU), IDS shifted the focus to a software application that could run on standard laptops using the (Vehicle Communication Module) interface.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, IDS versions like v47 and v48 were critical for managing transitions in diesel technology, such as the 6.4L PowerStroke recalls. This era saw the introduction of the VCM II , which was smaller, more durable, and offered wireless capabilities.