Ford Teams with Pivotal to Speed Development of Connected Car Experiences Capitalizing on New Ford SYNC Connect
-
Ford is adopting Pivotal® software development services to
deliver innovative products and to improve the customer experience –
with the agility of a start-up -
Leveraging Pivotal
Cloud Foundry® and Pivotal Big Data Suite to build its
Ford Smart Mobility connected vehicle platform, Ford is becoming a
nimbler software developer -
Through its work with Pivotal, Ford’s software development time has
sped up from months to weeks in some cases; further improvements
expected -
Recent introduction of new Ford SYNC® Connect technology
provides avenue for additional connected services and features for
customers in the future
PALO ALTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ford is teaming up with software company Pivotal®, giving the
automaker the capabilities of an innovative software team to enhance its
connected vehicle experience for customers, simplifying how they use
technology to access vehicles and services.
Ford’s three-year strategic collaboration with Pivotal, which is
dedicated to accelerating the digital transformation for enterprises,
supports the automaker’s development of mobile and user experiences.
The collaboration aims to make Ford an even more agile software
developer, enabling even better customer experiences by leveraging
Ford’s recently introduced SYNC® Connect technology that
provides remote access to vehicle features via a smartphone app.
This digital evolution is part of Ford
Smart Mobility, the plan to take the company to the next level in
connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience,
and data and analytics.
“As we grow to become both an automaker and a mobility company, having
leading software development expertise is critical to delivering at the
speed consumers expect,” said Marcy Klevorn, Ford vice president and
chief information officer. “Customers today are used to frequent
software updates on their mobile devices, and expect them with all
technology. This collaboration with Pivotal allows for quicker vehicle
software updates and an even better user experience for Ford customers.”
Working with Pivotal technology provides a platform where improved
software skills can deliver innovative new experiences. That includes
SYNC Connect, which delivers a true connected car experience due to its
built-in modem.
Initial features of SYNC Connect include the ability to lock and unlock
doors, schedule a future start to warm up or cool down the vehicle,
check on fuel and oil levels, and locate where the vehicle is parked.
Over time, these features will grow with software enhancements.
SYNC Connect makes its global debut in the spring in the new Ford
Escape, with other vehicles to follow.
Working together
At Pivotal Labs in Toronto, Ford software developers are working
side-by-side with Pivotal engineers to create software with the agility
and expertise of Silicon Valley leaders.
Taking an idea into production within a few days gives Ford the ability
to merge its auto industry expertise with modern software development
capabilities, boosting its software-led digital transformation.
“Typically, it took Ford months to develop software,” said Bill Cook,
Pivotal president and chief operating officer. “At the outset of working
with Pivotal, Ford engineers started producing compelling software in a
matter of weeks. Since mastering Pivotal Labs’ cutting-edge, agile
software development methodologies, Ford now is operating at start-up
speeds – able to create software in mere days.”
Ford plans to build a component of its new connected vehicle platform on
top of Pivotal Cloud Foundry® – one of the world’s most
powerful continuous-innovation cloud platforms. Ford also is leveraging
Pivotal Big Data Suite to analyze data in real-time and over longer
periods, to develop software-powered applications.
“When someone like Ford, with more than 100 years of domain expertise
and data, evolves the ability to create software like Google, Uber or a
venture-backed start-up, then they have a unique opportunity to disrupt
the disrupters,” said Pivotal CEO Rob Mee.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford
Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in
Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six
continents. With about 197,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the
company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company
provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
About Pivotal
Pivotal’s cloud-native platform drives software innovation for many
of the world’s most admired brands. With millions of developers in
communities around the world, Pivotal technology touches billions of
users every day. After shaping the software development culture of
Silicon Valley’s most valuable companies for over a decade, today
Pivotal leads a global technology movement transforming how the world
builds software. More at www.pivotal.io.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and
video, visit www.media.ford.com.
Contacts
Ford Communications
Sara Tatchio
313.575.8140
statchio@ford.com
or
Pivotal
Media Relations
Michael Lee
312.933.2458
mlee@pivotal.io
or
Pivotal
Analyst Relations
Rita Manachi
415.269.9051
rmanachi@pivotal.io
