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Apple Maps will power Ford’s $30,000 EV platform
Apple Maps will be embedded natively in Ford’s 2027 UEV Platform, bringing EV routing and BlueCruise support to vehicles priced around $30,000.
Image: MacRumors
Apple Maps will provide the navigation system for Ford’s upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform, which is scheduled to launch in 2027 with vehicles priced around $30,000.
The integration uses Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK. Ford will be able to embed Apple Maps directly into its vehicle displays while customizing the interface to match the company’s design language. Drivers will receive:
- Turn-by-turn directions with natural-language search
- Real-time traffic and incident information
- Intelligent EV routing, including battery preconditioning
Apple’s mapping data will also support Ford’s development of an enhanced version of BlueCruise, the automaker’s hands-free highway driving system.
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“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.”
MapKit for Automotive represents one of Apple’s largest automotive initiatives beyond CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra. Unlike a mirrored iPhone app, the SDK allows automakers to use Apple’s mapping data as a native vehicle feature. Apple said it will maintain its automotive privacy protections by not collecting users' location data or activity tied to individual identities through the vehicle’s mapping system.
“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.”
Ford is among the first automakers to embed Apple’s navigation engine directly rather than relying on CarPlay. CarPlay will still be available in Ford vehicles as an additional option for drivers who prefer iPhone integration. The UEV Platform rollout begins in 2027, with the approximately $30,000 price aimed at mainstream buyers seeking an affordable electric vehicle from a major U.S. automaker.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via MacRumors
