Apple and Ford have announced that Apple Maps will be integrated into the car maker’s Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform using Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK. Scheduled for launch in 2027, the integration will provide native Apple Maps navigation, while road-level map data will help Ford’s Latitude AI team develop hands-free driving capabilities.
Using Apple’s MapKit for Automotive SDK, Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle Platform will provide turn-by-turn navigation with natural-language guidance, real-time traffic updates, detailed place information and EV-specific routing with battery preconditioning. Ford also plans to use Apple Maps road-level data to support development of the next generation of its BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system.
“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,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services and health. “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.”
“Our new midsize electric vehicle will be priced around US$30,000 and redefines what advanced technology can be: simple, useful and truly attainable for more customers,” said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company’s CEO. “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.”
Apple’s new MapKit for Automotive SDK enables auto makers to embed and customize Apple Maps within their vehicle interfaces. The SDK also provides road-level map data to support hands-free driving development and is designed to maintain the same privacy principles as Apple Maps, with location and map activity not linked to individual users, according to Apple.
In addition to the integration of Apple Maps into Ford’s UEV Platform, CarPlay will continue to be available on Ford vehicles.
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