Ford Recruits Apple Car Project Boss And Former Tesla Engineer Doug Field

Ford has managed to recruit Doug Field, a Silicon Valley veteran who most recently served as the head of Apple’s car project.

Field will act as Ford’s new chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer. In addition to serving as the head of Apple’s car project, he was also senior vice president of Engineering at Tesla and played an important role in launching the Model 3.

Read Also: Apple Is Reportedly In Talks With Toyota About Its Upcoming EV

“Doug is one of the world’s most respected engineering and product design leaders and has been a driving force behind breakthrough products across auto, tech, and mobility, including at Apple, Tesla, and Segway,” Ford chief executive Jim Farley said in a statement. “His talent and commitment to innovation that improves customers’ lives will be invaluable as we build out our Ford+ plan to deliver awesome products, always-on customer relationships, and ever-improving user experiences. We are thrilled Doug chose to join Ford and help write the next amazing chapter of this great company.”

Ford has confirmed that Field will lead the company’s Embedded Software and hardware organization that handles Vehicle Controls, Enterprise Connectivity, Features, Integration & Validation, Architecture & Platform, Driver Assistance Technology and Digital Engineering Tools.

Field will work alongside Ford’s chief product platform and operations officer Hau Thai-Tang in creating the next generation of connected products and experiences from the car manufacturer. Interestingly, Field actually began his automotive career at Ford as a development engineer from 1987 to 1993.

“I’ve always felt a deep connection to Ford. Ford products have been in my life as long as I can remember – F-150s on my dad’s farm, a ’65 Continental picking us up at my wedding, and my thrill when I discovered the brilliant elegance in the design of the Model T,” Field said in a statement. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help the team build the next generation of iconic Ford vehicles and prepare Ford for the next hundred years.”