The automaker plans to make a large-scale move into electric vehicles.
Apple Maps will be the official navigation system for upcoming Ford electric vehicles. The software will be directly integrated into the automaker’s Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, which will equip future electric vehicles. This is possible thanks to Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK, which simplifies the integration process.
Apple says this partnership will “deliver a beautiful, easy-to-use navigation experience” that will be delivered “directly to in-vehicle screens.” It certainly seems practical. The platform will offer drivers natural language directions, real-time traffic reports, accident information and various route options.
Ford will also use road data provided by Apple Maps to further develop its BlueCruise hands-free driving system. The company says this will ultimately lead to a “smoother entry and exit experience.” In other words, this is the first collaboration that Apple is involved in that supports autonomous driving. We’ll probably never have the Apple Car, but at least we’ll have Ford’s UEV platform.
As for Ford, it will be busy. The UEV platform is expected to power a number of affordable electric vehicles, starting with a mid-size pickup truck expected to cost around $30,000. This one is expected in 2027. The company has been cautious about what comes next, but it has created a promotional film showing a range of vehicles from SUVs to sedans.
All told, Ford promises its lineup of upcoming electric vehicles will be cheaper “than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y.” We sorely need economical electric vehicles, so much so that a $25,000 electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, or power windows pretty much destroyed the internet.
