Apple Maps to Help Power Autonomous Driving in Ford's 2027 EV

[MacRumors]

Apple and Ford today announced announced that Apple Maps will power the navigation system in Ford's upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform, launching in 2027 at a price point around $30,000.

The integration leverages Apple's new MapKit for Automotive SDK, allowing Ford to embed Apple Maps directly into the vehicle's displays while maintaining the ability to customize the experience to match Ford's design language. Drivers will get turn-by-turn directions using natural language search, real-time traffic and incident information, and intelligent EV routing that includes battery preconditioning. The mapping data will also support Ford's development of an enhanced version of BlueCruise, the automaker's hands-free highway driving capability. Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services and Health, said:

Apple Maps delivers the best map experience in the world, and we're excited to bring the power of Maps' navigation technology to Ford's innovative Universal Electric Vehicle Platform. With our new MapKit for Automotive SDK, we're bringing Maps further into drivers' daily lives, giving them an incredibly accurate and easy-to-use navigation system that is seamlessly integrated into Ford vehicles.

The MapKit for Automotive SDK represents one of Apple's biggest automotive pushes to date beyond CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra. The SDK gives automakers access to Apple's mapping data and allows them to integrate navigation as a native vehicle feature rather than simply mirroring an iPhone app. Apple maintains privacy protections in automotive use, with the company not collecting users' location data or activity tied to individual identities through the vehicle's mapping system. Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company's CEO, said:

Our new midsize electric vehicle will be priced around $30,000 and redefines what advanced technology can be — simple, useful, and truly attainable for more customers. We're proud to embed Apple Maps' navigation and mapping technology directly into our Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, giving customers the ultimate navigation experience alongside our Ford app, a full suite of software, and next-generation BlueCruise, all enabled by a new zonal architecture. Apple Maps has delivered a world-class product, and we're honored to be among the first to embed it directly into a vehicle, helping define intuitive, capable driving.

Ford is among the first automakers to directly embed Apple's navigation engine rather than relying on CarPlay. CarPlay will still be available on Ford vehicles, Apple said, providing an additional input method for drivers who prefer iPhone integration.

The UEV Platform will roll out beginning in 2027, with the $30,000 pricing targeting mainstream buyers seeking affordable electric vehicle options from a major U.S. automaker.

Article Link: Apple Maps to Help Power Autonomous Driving in Ford's 2027 EV

 

[Johnny907]

Pass. Hard pass. Hope this can be disabled in the settings.

 

[cocacolakid]

Nope

 

[ddauerbach]

This is a very good idea. A big advantage of embedding like this is that battery pre-conditioning will be optimized.

 

[Leobreaker]

I am willing to bet the iOS 26.6 technology for self-driving EV software to do map routing handoff with Apple Maps was more intended for this partnership, and not Tesla (though Tesla could still take advantage). Looking forward to the new Ford EV.

 

[jml12286]

I look forward to this new smaller truck as a previous Lightning owner. I hope Ford succeeds as we need more EV competition. As an Apple maps user, this should hopefully help have another reliable EV charger mapping option 🥳

 

[Ta_whirimatea]

Expect destination pins to be totally in the wrong place, a total inability to set point A to point B (purely to find out distance & duration) when your at point C.

If it’s like CarPlay (only showing 12 albums) then forget it.
Also keep Siri totally away from it!

 

[gummybear2026]

Apple Maps is garbage but at least Ford will continue to offer Car Play.

 

[Ben11]

Wow when will it come to Toyota? Will there be an option in settings to change between Apple Maps Google Maps and Waze or am I just dreaming lol

 

[Sean7512]

In a world where all the car companies are switching to Android entertainment units and have Google track you and sell the data of everywhere you go to advertisers, this is welcome news.

 

[nt5672]

OMG no, have you ever used Apple Maps for navigation. They are terrible. And you will never eat anyplace but McDonalds.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Pass. Hard pass. Hope this can be disabled in the settings.

Can you disable Android Auto/Google Maps that's baked in to other vehicles?

 

[turbineseaplane]

In a world where all the car companies are switching to Android entertainment units and have Google track you and sell the data of everywhere you go to advertisers, this is welcome news.

This is just the maps engine.

Ford is absolutely still going to be able to track your vehicle location and monetize the data.

 

[transpo1]

Pass. Hard pass. Hope this can be disabled in the settings.

Nope

Expect destination pins to be totally in the wrong place, a total inability to set point A to point B (purely to find out distance & duration) when your at point C.

If it’s like CarPlay (only showing 12 albums) then forget it.
Also keep Siri totally away from it!

OMG no, have you ever used Apple Maps for navigation. They are terrible. And you will never eat anyplace but McDonalds.

Apple Maps is garbage but at least Ford will continue to offer Car Play.

Let's dig into this with some nuance, shall we?

In the U.S., Apple Maps is good for local driving with very established locations (mainstream restaurants, gas stations, coffee shops, etc.). IMHO, it has gotten a lot better and I'm using it 90% of the time for all my local driving. Moreover, it connects to Apple Contacts and so it's easy to use it to get to friends' houses, etc. without the privacy drawbacks of allowing Google to have said contacts.

However, anytime you need to really dig into a search and the data to do recon (especially to look for smaller, less established places of business) or are overseas, you're better off using Google Maps. The overall data set is much richer.

Those are the use cases for both, and it's not as simple as trashing Apple Maps completely. YMMV.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I hope they aren't also using Apple's navigation stack.

 

[Biro]

Based on the amount of errors I see in Apple Maps while using navigation, this is kind of scary. Most of the errors tend to be small. But most could potentially have major consequences without a human to second-guess them. Meanwhile, I would disconnect the TCU or modem in any new vehicle I bought anyway.

 

[MacTwick]

Ford, BlueCruise, and Apple Maps..

You're gonna end up in the atlantic.

 

[apple2022]

My Tesla is sitting at 95% self driving over the last 10 months. Meaning I touch the wheel 5% of the time during all driving: city, highway, parking, everything. I’ve heard Ford’s CEO talk about how Ford as a tech company is basically non existent. These legacy car companies are genuinely F’ed. Of non-Chinese cars, Rivian seems to have the second best roadmap to consumer-available autonomy but they literally just getting started and are going to face every single issue Tesla has already been pushing through for the last ~3 years since Tesla self driving tech started becoming legit. And here’s Ford talking about strategic partnerships about their MAPS. 🤦 They are competing now with electric cars that drive themselves and are hoping slick maps will save them. I sense a Blockbuster Video or BlackBerry level wipeout of most “dumbcars”

 

[mittencuh]

I want to love Apple Maps so bad, but literally every time I use it, it invariably sends me into either a road that is closed due to construction or down a street that doesn't connect to where Maps thinks it does. This just isn't going to go well. Apple seems to put zero investment into Maps apart from adding ads. And don't even get me started on Look Around which apparently is impossible for Apple to even implement in my city but Google Maps can get fresh images every two years since like 2008....

 

[mittencuh]

My Tesla is sitting at 95% self driving over the last 10 months. Meaning I touch the wheel 5% of the time during all driving: city, highway, parking, everything. I’ve heard Ford’s CEO talk about how Ford as a tech company is basically non existent. These legacy car companies are genuinely F’ed. Of non-Chinese cars, Rivian seems to have the second best roadmap to consumer-available autonomy but they literally just getting started and are going to face every single issue Tesla has already been pushing through for the last ~3 years since Tesla self driving tech started becoming legit. And here’s Ford talking about strategic partnerships about their MAPS. 🤦 They are competing now with electric cars that drive themselves and are hoping slick maps will save them. I sense a Blockbuster Video or BlackBerry level wipeout of most “dumbcars”

Why don't you just take the bus at that point bro. That's just sad.

 

[triumvirate]

My Tesla is sitting at 95% self driving over the last 10 months. Meaning I touch the wheel 5% of the time during all driving: city, highway, parking, everything. I’ve heard Ford’s CEO talk about how Ford as a tech company is basically non existent. These legacy car companies are genuinely F’ed. Of non-Chinese cars, Rivian seems to have the second best roadmap to consumer-available autonomy but they literally just getting started and are going to face every single issue Tesla has already been pushing through for the last ~3 years since Tesla self driving tech started becoming legit. And here’s Ford talking about strategic partnerships about their MAPS. 🤦 They are competing now with electric cars that drive themselves and are hoping slick maps will save them. I sense a Blockbuster Video or BlackBerry level wipeout of most “dumbcars”

Until Tesla gives the ability to stop automatic lane changing in its FSD mode, it’s a “no thanks” for me. The car gets to do whatever it wants with the lanes but I’m still legally responsible and can’t nap? I think most people are good with basic autopilot until the full responsibility shifts to the vehicle and manufacturer.

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple and Ford today announced announced that Apple Maps will power the navigation system in Ford's upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform, launching in 2027 at a price point around $30,000.

How will drivers use it when their Ford is in the shop for repairs though? The only time will be how to get to the nearest repair shop. 😂

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[MidwestMacGuy]

OMG no, have you ever used Apple Maps for navigation. They are terrible. And you will never eat anyplace but McDonalds.

Yes, I use Apple Maps. It has limitations for sure, but it is not terrible. It keeps improving and is good. Maybe not great. Let’s be fair.

 

[JackHinkle]

Apple and Ford’s bromance continues. I love to see two American companies collaborating.

 

[CasinoOwl]

This is a little scary. I drive to LA regularly and there are two places where Apple Maps takes me in the wrong direction. I've reported them to Apple with no results.