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Ford picks Apple Maps for its next EV platform and updated BlueCruise

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Why This Matters

Ford's integration of Apple Maps into its upcoming EV platform marks a significant shift towards seamless, native navigation experiences in vehicles, enhancing driver convenience and safety. This collaboration also signals a strategic move to leverage Apple's ecosystem for advanced driver-assist features, potentially setting new industry standards for connected car technology. For consumers, this means more intuitive navigation and improved driver-assist capabilities without the need for additional devices.

Key Takeaways

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Ford plans to embed Apple Maps directly into its Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, which will start with a $30,000 midsize pickup truck set for release in 2027. In an announcement on Thursday, Ford says it will use Apple Maps to offer “turn-by-turn directions using natural language, real-time traffic and incident information, intuitive search featuring detailed place cards, and routing options.”

The vehicle will also have an intelligent EV routing feature and battery preconditioning. Since the Apple Maps system will be integrated into Ford’s upcoming platform, drivers won’t need an iPhone to use it — though Ford notes that CarPlay will still be available in its vehicles.

Additionally, Ford announced that it’s working with Apple to build the next generation of its BlueCruise driver-assist system. It will use “road-level information” from Apple Maps to power its hands-free highway driving experience from the on-ramp to the off-ramp. Meanwhile, Ford’s Latitude AI team continues to develop an eyes-off unsupervised driving system, which it expects to be ready in 2028.