Latest news with #FNV4
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford's chief EV, digital and design officer shares its software vision
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter. Ford Motor Co. Chief EV, Digital and Design Officer Doug Field shared an update of the company's future strategy as the automaker navigates the auto industry's transition to software-defined vehicles, in a May 2 blog post. Ford's future-state software project, code-named 'FNV4,' will combine with its existing vehicle architecture dubbed 'FNV3' into a new version referred to as 'FNV3.X.' Field said Ford plans to build on its FNV3.X architecture and offer it across a full portfolio of vehicles. 'In today's automobiles, software is the single biggest lever in advancing a customer's ownership experience,' Field said in the blog post. Field said Ford is already far ahead of its competitors in deploying vehicle software updates. The company delivered 9.5 million updates to its fleet in the first quarter of 2025, according to its blog post, and the shift to its FNV3.X vehicle architecture will deliver software innovations even more quickly to customers. The new architecture will facilitate the rollout of new digital services to customers and improve vehicle quality. It will also support advanced vehicle security and deliver driving and infotainment enhancements to more Ford customers, according to Field. In addition to improving the customer experience, the FNV3.X architecture will allow the automaker to extend the current digital experience — currently offered in the Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus and Navigator — to other vehicles, including the Bronco, F-150, Mustang and Ranger. This approach will also enable Ford to more easily add its BlueCruise hands-free driving technology to additional models that otherwise wouldn't support it, as the required architecture will be preinstalled. 'Whether it's hands-free highway driving with BlueCruise, intelligent navigation, using your phone as a key, or our Ford Security Package to give you peace of mind, we're integrating technology that actually makes life better, and doing it across as many of our vehicles as we can,' Field said in the blog post. Unified software across the portfolio Like other automakers, Ford is migrating from traditional vehicle architectures to electrical-electronic systems powered by software that can be regularly updated over-the-air. Field said software should be available across Ford's lineup to reach as many customers as possible. Having a dedicated electrical architecture reserved for some vehicles and a legacy architecture for other models — while simultaneously trying to keep them all updated — is not a good strategy for Ford, according to the blog. Without a shared and scalable vehicle software platform, the automaker's software engineers would have to re-develop the same features over and over and adapt them for different models, according to Field. In the auto industry, more than 90% of new architectures being introduced by automakers are exclusive to their electric vehicles, according to Field. But if these architectures are not made available in other models, it can exclude a sizable portion of an automaker's customer base driving ICE and hybrid models. As a result, OEMs will face challenges in delivering the best customer experiences without a more unified vehicle platform that can be shared among models, Field said. Since coming back to Ford in 2021, Field and his team have been working to develop a new software-based vehicle architecture for the automaker. Field joined Ford from Apple in September 2021. Prior to that served as SVP of Engineering at Tesla, where he led the development of the Model 3 sedan. Now, Field is working to deliver to Ford customers the same type of software innovations developed by Apple and Tesla. Ford created a 'skunkworks' team to develop a low-cost electric vehicle platform to make the company more competitive against rivals like Tesla, CEO Jim Farley revealed during the company's earnings call in early 2024. Farley said at the time that Ford's new EVs should be profitable within 12 months of launching, and its low-cost EV platform powered by software will be key to achieving that goal. 'We will not be on the sidelines of what can be done on a next-generation, ground-up electric vehicle,' Field said in the blog post. 'Our electric vehicle 'skunkworks' project is moving full speed ahead to show what we can do when we start with a clean sheet software and electrical architecture.' Recommended Reading Ford Pro's connected vehicle fleet grew 40% since 2023 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford cutting hundreds of connected-vehicle software jobs
Ford Motor Co. is cutting about 350 connected-vehicle software jobs in the U.S. and Canada as part of an ongoing effort to improve efficiency, according to a person with knowledge of the moves. Affected workers were notified May 13. The employees work on projects that include the newly launched Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience. The cuts amount to roughly 5 percent of the automaker's connected-vehicle software team, which is under the purview of Doug Field, Ford's chief EV, digital and design officer. The action is unrelated to U.S. import tariffs or Ford's decision to cancel development of a next-generation electrical software architecture, internally called FNV4, a spokesperson said. 'We consistently review our organization to make sure we are operating efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced and dynamic environment,' the spokesperson said in a statement provided to Automotive News. 'We are making changes within our Connected Vehicle Software team to ensure we have the right talent and organization to deliver the world's best next-generation connected vehicles. This will include some separations.' Sign up for the quarterly Automotive News U.S. Sales report to get data and news sent to your inbox as soon as it's compiled. CEO Jim Farley has long talked about finding the right talent to help Ford better compete in the era of software-defined vehicles. On a 2022 earnings call, Farley called the automaker's software talent recruitment 'perhaps the biggest untold story at Ford.' The company late last month scrapped its FNV4 software architecture because of ballooning costs and delays, Reuters reported. 'It's a very significant save for capital efficiency,' Farley said May 5 on Ford's first-quarter earnings call. 'We simply merged our two Ford zonal electric architectures into one. This is very important for the company because our software is going faster than we expected, and the advanced electric architectures allow us to deliver software to the vehicles and customers in a more efficient way.' Unrelated to the U.S. moves, Ford is in the midst of cutting around 14 percent of its European workforce, mostly in Germany and Great Britain. Workers at Ford's factory in Cologne, Germany, expect to strike May 14 as tensions rise over planned cuts. Have an opinion about this story? Tell us about it and we may publish it in print. Click here to submit a letter to the editor. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Auto Blog
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Ford Shifts Gears on Future Car Software
The American automaker has decided to merge existing platforms with knowledge gleaned from its work on software-defined vehicles Tesla, Rivian, and other primarily electric automakers are charged with bringing a spicy new buzzword to the market: 'software-defined vehicle.' But it's not as straightforward as it sounds. While arguably most new cars are primarily differentiated by their user-facing software, the term specifically refers to vehicles that rely on the code running under the hood to improve performance, enhance amenities, and more over time, rather than requiring mechanical parts. However, after four years of chasing a new future, Ford has decided to conclude engineering efforts on their software-defined vehicle platform, FNV4. Ford is sticking with domain-based architecture despite substantial investment elsewhere A California-based Ford skunkworks team led by former Apple and Tesla bigwig Doug Field was supposed to bring Ford's vehicles into the next generation. Instead, Field is throwing in the towel, or, at least, that's one way to look at it. In a release, Field claims the FNV4 platform is now being integrated into Ford's current architecture. The result, dubbed FNV3.X, will still, sort of, have the same benefits that FNV4 could've offered: a single shared architecture across the entire model line, regardless of powertrain. So, what does this actually mean for shoppers and drivers? The expensive multi-year investment still nets some positives, according to the brand. Field and other Ford representatives say that the FNV3.X platform will mean faster over-the-air (OTA) software updates and offer 'connected digital experiences,' 'democratizing access to new features,' and 'modernizing the industry,' with nebulous promises of 'advanced vehicle security, driving, and infotainment enhancements for many more customers.' Essentially, features that were once to-be locked behind EVs will now be open to gas-powered models, too. Ford doesn't just make EVs, and it's a large reason for the step back The allure of zonal architecture is, primarily, its relative simplicity from the OEM and supplier side. Using one system that controls everything, from powertrain to safety features and the power windows, is enticing when juxtaposed with the messier domain-based architecture that we know today. It's easy to see why EVs lend themselves to the more straightforward design, but it isn't as simple with gas-powered and hybrid vehicles. 'By taking a more incremental approach, we've vastly expanded the number of vehicles in our portfolio that are going to get the latest infotainment systems and BlueCruise,' Field said in an interview with The Verge. He goes on to say that FNV4 would've made that impossible. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E — Source: Ford Final thoughts All said, Field does present valid points that make you wonder why Ford pursued a software-defined vehicle platform in the first place. 'Our customer experiences range from enjoying a Mustang convertible on a drive along the coast, running a small business with a fleet of F-150s or Transit Vans, to an extended trek with the family in a Lincoln Navigator,' he says. And he's right: all of those vehicles do drastically different things for, potentially, extremely different customers. 'One size fits all' isn't the approach automakers should consider when taking the next step forward. It's a shame Ford didn't realize that before sinking tons of money into its ambitious software project. Editorial note: A spokesperson for Ford reached out to Autoblog and says the automaker is working on separate zonal architecture that will underpin the brand's electric vehicles.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Quietly Kills Multi-Billion Dollar Software-Defined Vehicle Plans
Tesla, Rivian, and other primarily electric automakers are charged with bringing a spicy new buzzword to the market: 'software-defined vehicle.' But it's not as straightforward as it sounds. While arguably most new cars are primarily differentiated by their user-facing software, the term specifically refers to vehicles that rely on the code running under the hood to improve performance, enhance amenities, and more over time, rather than requiring mechanical parts. However, after four years of chasing a new future, Ford has decided to conclude engineering efforts on their software-defined vehicle platform, FNV4. View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article A California-based Ford skunkworks team led by former Apple and Tesla bigwig Doug Field was supposed to bring Ford's vehicles into the next generation. Instead, Field is throwing in the towel, or, at least, that's one way to look at it. In a release, Field claims the FNV4 platform is now being integrated into Ford's current architecture. The result, dubbed FNV3.X, will still, sort of, have the same benefits that FNV4 could've offered: a single shared architecture across the entire model line, regardless of powertrain. So, what does this actually mean for shoppers and drivers? Well, it means you can expect to see more of the same coming from Ford. The expensive multi-year investment seems to have returns decidedly limited in scope. Field says that the FNV3.X platform will mean faster over-the-air (OTA) software updates, 'democratizing access to new features,' and 'modernizing the industry,' with nebulous promises of 'advanced vehicle security, driving, and infotainment enhancements for many more customers.' Not exactly changing the automotive landscape, then. The allure of zonal architecture is, primarily, its relative simplicity from the OEM and supplier side. Using one system that controls everything, from powertrain to safety features and the power windows, is enticing when juxtaposed with the messier domain-based architecture that we know today. It's easy to see why EVs lend themselves to the more straightforward design, but it isn't as simple with gas-powered and hybrid vehicles. 'By taking a more incremental approach, we've vastly expanded the number of vehicles in our portfolio that are going to get the latest infotainment systems and BlueCruise,' Field said in an interview with The Verge. He goes on to say that FNV4 would've made that impossible. All said, Field does present valid points that make you wonder why Ford pursued a software-defined vehicle platform in the first place. 'Our customer experiences range from enjoying a Mustang convertible on a drive along the coast, running a small business with a fleet of F-150s or Transit Vans, to an extended trek with the family in a Lincoln Navigator,' he says. And he's right: all of those vehicles do drastically different things for, potentially, extremely different customers. 'One size fits all' isn't the approach automakers should consider when taking the next step forward. It's a shame Ford didn't realize that before sinking tons of money into its ambitious software project.
Axios
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Why cars will never be smartphones on wheels
The digital transformation of the auto industry has hit a speed bump: Slower-than-expected electric vehicle adoption has delayed the rollout of intelligent, software-defined vehicles. The big picture: Automakers are forecasting billions of dollars in recurring revenue from software and services that improve over time through constant updates. That requires a next-generation electrical architecture — think of it as the car's brain — to handle everything from ride dynamics and safety functions to the in-car experience that consumers want. Automakers dream of being more like Apple, with an elegant operating system like iOS that enables the same digital experience across all their vehicles. Tesla and other EV startups already have such platforms, and they regularly send software updates to add features or improve performance. But they had an advantage: Their modern cars were designed from scratch. Legacy automakers are saddled with complex software networks cobbled together from more than 100 electronic control units that manage specific functions like braking or infotainment. Even minor software updates are a hassle with such a fragmented system. The shift to electric vehicles seemed like the ideal time for many automakers to toss out those antiquated architectures in favor of a Tesla-like approach. Many companies who yoked software modernization to their EV development plans, however, are now thinking better of it. Driving the news: Ford recently pulled the plug on an ambitious next-generation software project, deciding instead to pour those efforts into improving its existing architecture. The fully networked vehicle project (FNV4) was to have been the foundational software platform for a future lineup of smart, connected vehicles. In a blog post explaining the pivot, Doug Field, Ford's chief EV, digital and design officer, noted: "The world has changed since automakers, including Ford, laid out plans to rapidly redesign their vehicles for an electric future." EV adoption has been slower than expected, he noted, and Ford's digital transformation shouldn't leave behind customers who prefer gasoline or hybrid vehicles, he wrote. Instead, Ford will take a more incremental approach to software, building upon the digital experience launched recently in the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Nautilus and Navigator and deploying it across its full portfolio of vehicles. The move will save money, Ford CEO Jim Farley told analysts this week, and even make future products more affordable. Between the lines: The software conundrum demonstrates why a car is not a smartphone and Detroit will never be like Apple. Phones are replaced every two or three years; cars stay on the road for 10 to 15 years or more. That means automakers are often stuck spending money to keep old technologies alive, even as they're investing billions to develop more sophisticated, modern vehicles. "Having a new electrical architecture on some vehicles and a legacy architecture on other vehicles and maintaining them all at the same time is not a good strategy for this new world," Field wrote.
