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.
