Ford to Integrate Apple Maps Into Upcoming Electric-Vehicle Platform
By Anvee Bhutani
Ford Motor said Wednesday that it will integrate Apple Maps directly into its upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle platform beginning in 2027, as the automaker deepens its partnership with Apple to bolster navigation and hands-free driving features.
The companies said the integration will use Apple's newly introduced MapKit for Automotive software development kit, bringing Apple Maps natively to Ford vehicle displays rather than relying solely on smartphone projection. Apple said the SDK allows automakers to embed and customize Apple Maps while maintaining a navigation experience consistent with each vehicle's design.
The system will provide turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic updates, route planning, place search and electric-vehicle routing features, including battery preconditioning. Ford said the platform will also use road-level mapping data from Apple Maps to support the development of its next-generation BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system.
Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley said the technology will debut on the company's Universal Electric Vehicle platform, which underpins a new midsize electric vehicle expected to be priced at about $30,000.
Apple said the MapKit for Automotive SDK follows the same privacy principles as the Apple Maps app and doesn't collect users' location details or map activity in a way that can be tied to an individual. The company also said CarPlay will continue to be available in Ford vehicles.
The automaker said the development of its next-generation advanced driver-assistance technology is being led by its wholly owned autonomy subsidiary, Latitude AI, which is using millions of miles of driving data to build Ford's proprietary driving model.
The Universal Electric Vehicle platform is scheduled to launch in 2027.
Write to Anvee Bhutani at anvee.bhutani@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 23, 2026 10:08 ET (14:08 GMT)
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