Key Takeaways
- Ford is working with Apple on a new line of electric vehicles.
- The automaker is taking the unprecedented step of letting Apple’s software control how electric vehicles operate when they are driving themselves.
- The new software will be built into the vehicle, so drivers won’t need an iPhone to use it.
Ford is betting on Apple software to shape its autonomous future.
The $56 billion automaker said this week that it would use Apple software to power driver-assistance systems in its new line of electric vehicles to be released next year. According to The New York Times, the move puts Apple center stage in Ford cars, giving the iPhone maker an unprecedented, essential role in car operations.
Apple CarPlay, which operates in more than 800 car models from major brands like Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet, enables drivers to link their iPhones with their vehicle screens, unlocking functions like Apple Maps.
Ford is taking things one step further by letting Apple’s software help control how electric vehicles operate when they are driving themselves, per the Times.
For the first time, Apple and Ford engineers are collaborating directly to improve self-driving features in cars set to reach dealerships next year. In the past, Apple worked independently from automakers. Engineers will build the new software into the vehicle, so drivers won’t need an iPhone to use it.
“Apple Maps will be embedded in the vehicle, so you don’t have to pay anything extra,” Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said in an interview with the Times. “This is one of the most important announcements for Ford.”
Working with Apple will help Ford save money on developing new technology while still offering advanced driver-assistance features, according to Farley. Ford plans to introduce a new electric pickup truck embedded with these features starting next year, he added.
A Ford group led by former Tesla executive Alan Clarke will oversee that truck as the first in a series of battery-powered models. Ford aims to price the pickup at about $30,000, much lower than many battery-powered vehicles on the market today.
Many automakers are reluctant to partner with tech companies
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services and health, told the Times that Ford is the first major car company to use Apple’s new automotive software. However, Apple intends to open it up to other automakers, he said.
Car companies have often been cautious about working too closely with technology giants like Apple and Google. They worry about losing control over their customers and missing out on potential revenue to these larger and wealthier companies, per the Times. For example, Apple’s market value was $4.7 trillion at the time of writing, while General Motors trailed behind with a market value of $72 billion.
Some newer carmakers, such as Tesla and Rivian, chose not to include Apple CarPlay or Google’s Android Auto in their vehicles. Instead, they built their own in-car software systems. These systems still let drivers use some outside apps, but the car company stays in control.
Now, some traditional automakers are thinking about doing the same. General Motors has already announced plans to remove Apple CarPlay from its future cars and replace it with its own software. Drivers will still be able to use certain apps from the likes of Apple and Google, but General Motors will control how the system works.
Key Takeaways
- Ford is working with Apple on a new line of electric vehicles.
- The automaker is taking the unprecedented step of letting Apple’s software control how electric vehicles operate when they are driving themselves.
- The new software will be built into the vehicle, so drivers won’t need an iPhone to use it.
Ford is betting on Apple software to shape its autonomous future.
The $56 billion automaker said this week that it would use Apple software to power driver-assistance systems in its new line of electric vehicles to be released next year. According to The New York Times, the move puts Apple center stage in Ford cars, giving the iPhone maker an unprecedented, essential role in car operations.
Apple CarPlay, which operates in more than 800 car models from major brands like Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet, enables drivers to link their iPhones with their vehicle screens, unlocking functions like Apple Maps.