TL;DRFord will embed Apple Maps in its new UEV platform starting with a $30,000 electric pickup in 2027, with road data also feeding BlueCruise
Ford will use Apple Maps as the built-in navigation system for its next generation of electric vehicles, replacing the Google-based software it has run since 2023. The integration uses Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK and will launch with Ford’s $30,000 midsize electric pickup in 2027, according to a joint announcement from both companies on Wednesday. Ford will also feed Apple’s road-level mapping data into the development of its next-generation BlueCruise hands-free driving system.
The move is a notable reversal. Ford partnered with Google in 2021 to bring Android Automotive to millions of its vehicles, making it one of the highest-profile adopters of Google’s in-car software platform, but for its most important new product line Ford is now turning to Apple instead. CEO Jim Farley called the electric pickup a vehicle that “redefines what advanced technology can be,” and said Ford is “honoured to be among the first to embed” Apple Maps directly into a car.
The system will offer turn-by-turn directions with natural language search, real-time traffic and incident data, and EV-specific route planning that accounts for charging station locations, estimated range, and battery preconditioning. That last feature automatically warms or cools the battery before arriving at a fast charger, which can cut charging times significantly. Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, said the SDK lets automakers build a navigation experience that matches the look and feel of their own vehicle software rather than simply mirroring the Apple Maps app.
