It’s a major step in the right direction tech-wise for America’s most-sold vehicle.
In case you didn’t know, Ford is currently working on a new F150 pickup. We’ve seen many prototypes of trucks, but it’s taken a while. Although we have seen the interior via leaked photos it is not clear what upgrades the truck will get.
We now know about one important step, which was disclosed by Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s Chief Product and Purchasing Officer. The infrastructure will be available for updates over-the-air (OTA), in the 2021 F-150.
Motor1.com reached to Ford for confirmation and was sent a transcript of a conversation between Thai-Tang, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Analyst John Murphy. The interview was conducted during Bank of America’s Global Auto Summit. While the majority of the conversation focused on the financial aspects of moving the company forwards, Thai-Tang mentioned OTA capabilities for the new F-150.
Ford did not provide additional details, but in the context Ford sees connectivity as a way of lowering warranty costs and improving reliability as well as as an avenue to monetize data collected, provided services, or both.
It is unclear what this means. The future of connectivity is certain to have many benefits, including remote vehicle maintenance and the ability to update software to improve different systems. Ford can gather data about features used to help determine the cost of options and extras. The supplier/vendor side can be helpful with various apps and services. Before we can fully understand the system, we will likely need to wait for the new truck. It’s here, for now
It’s been an active week in news about the Ford F-150. At least, with regard to production. On May 13, a report suggested that the next-gen pickup would not be in production until October in Michigan and November at the F150 plant in Kansas City. Ford told the Detroit Free Press a few days later that 2021 truck deliveries would begin by the end the year. It is possible that it will arrive sooner than expected depending on the Coronavirus situation. However, the new F-150 should be available before 2020.