Ford and Google have announced a strategic six-year partnership today that will help the carmaker accelerate its transformation plan and “reinvent connected vehicle experience”.
Ford has also picked Google Cloud as its default cloud provider, making use of Google’s expertise in data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Perhaps the biggest news of this collaboration is the fact that as of 2023, all future Ford and Lincoln models “at all price points” will be powered by Android, including Google Apps and built-in services.
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Beginning in 2023, owners of new Ford and Lincoln models will enjoy features such as Google Assistant and Google Maps, together with access to the Google Play store to download their favorite apps. The new Android operating system, which is also going to offer over-the-air updates, will be designed to minimize driver distraction and offer a more efficient connected vehicle experience.
“As Ford continues the most profound transformation in our history with electrification, connectivity, and self-driving, Google and Ford coming together establishes an innovation powerhouse truly able to deliver a superior experience for our customers and modernize our business,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s President and CEO.
“From the first moving assembly line to the latest driver-assist technology, Ford has set the pace of innovation for the automotive industry for nearly 120 years,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. “We’re proud to partner to apply the best of Google’s AI, data analytics, compute and cloud platforms to help transform Ford’s business and build automotive technologies that keep people safe and connected on the road.”
The two companies will establish a new collaborative group called Team Upshift, which will make use of the talent and assets of both Ford and Google to develop anything from new ways to buy a car, new data-driven ownership offers, and more.
“We are obsessed with creating must-have, distinctively Ford products and services,” said Farley. “This integration will unleash our teams to innovate for Ford and Lincoln customers while seamlessly providing access to Google’s world-class apps and services.”
