Automotive industry insiders are abuzz with news of Ford's ambitious new electric vehicle program, which promises to revolutionize the way the company designs and manufactures its vehicles.
The Universal Electric Vehicle Platform is a highly streamlined and optimized system that aims to create a variety of vehicles with a great experience using fewer parts and manufacturing steps, while sharing more components between vehicles.
The first vehicle on this new platform, an affordable mid-sized electric truck, is set to debut in 2027 with a starting price of around $30,000, followed by other vehicles in quick succession.
One of the key features of this platform is the integration of Apple's in-car software component, which will utilize Apple Maps for navigation, specifically the MapKit for Automotive SDK.
This means that Ford will build its own experience using Apple's map data, rather than simply copying the interface experience offered by Apple Maps with CarPlay.
Currently, most vehicles' built-in navigation systems rely on map data from various providers, including TomTom, OpenStreetMap, or Google.
The press release states that Ford will rely on Apple Maps data for navigation, real-time traffic and incident information, and location data, including search with place cards.
Ford will also use road-level information from Apple Maps as part of the development of its next-generation BlueCruise hands-free highway driving capability.
CarPlay will continue to be available on upcoming Ford vehicles, offering customers a seamless and integrated driving experience.
