Ford F-150 taking on Ram in screen battle?

In the pitched battle for dashboard dominance, Ford Motor Co. plans to increase the size of the touch screen in its F-150 by at least 50 percent when the redesigned pickup goes on sale next year, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with Ford's plans.

The automaker will offer at least a 12-inch screen that can simultaneously display multiple functions, such as maps and audio controls, said the people, who asked not to be identified. The expansion from the 8-inch screen now available in the F-150 will match or surpass the display in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram pickup that has helped vault the model line into second place in U.S. pickup sales.

Touch screens are key differentiators in the fight for pickup supremacy. The Ram's iPad-style 12-inch display helped it disrupt the long-held order in the segment by surpassing General Motors' Chevrolet Silverado in sales this year. Ford's F series has been the top-selling vehicle line in the U.S. since President Ronald Reagan's first administration.