Ford reshapes product and manufacturing teams to accelerate next generation vehicles

Ford Motor Company has created a new end to end organisation designed to speed up the development and industrialisation of its next generation vehicles, software and services.

The move forms a central pillar of Ford’s Ford+ strategy and its ambition to reach an adjusted EBIT margin of 8 percent by 2029.

The new Product Creation and Industrialization organisation brings together Ford’s Electric Vehicle, Digital and Design teams with its global industrial system. It will be led by chief operating officer Kumar Galhotra, who will be responsible for ensuring advanced technologies move more quickly and efficiently from development to mass production.

According to Ford, the new structure will enable faster decision making, reduce complexity and improve quality as the company undertakes one of the most intensive product and technology rollouts in its history. By the end of the decade, Ford plans to refresh 80 percent of its North American vehicle portfolio by volume and 70 percent globally, including the launch of new products based on its Universal Electric Vehicle platform.

The UEV platform has been developed by a small, highly autonomous advanced engineering team in California and focuses on improving efficiency, affordability and digital capability. Its fully zonal electrical architecture, in house software controls and flexible battery options are intended to support a wide range of future vehicle types. Lessons from the programme are already being applied across Ford’s broader product lines to cut costs and modernise development processes.

Ford expects digital services and over the air updates to play a growing role in its vehicles. By 2030, around 90 percent of its global vehicle volume is expected to feature upgraded electrical architectures, in house user interfaces and next generation connectivity to enable continuous improvements and the expansion of systems such as BlueCruise.

The announcement also confirmed several leadership changes. Doug Field, chief EV, digital and design officer, will leave Ford after nearly five years with the company, having helped embed software led thinking and cross industry talent. Alan Clarke has been promoted to vice president of Advanced Development Projects, continuing to lead breakthrough engineering programmes. Meanwhile, Kieran Cahill, vice president of manufacturing for Europe and IMG, will retire after 37 years with the company.

Ford said the organisational changes position it to scale high quality, software defined vehicles while maintaining strong manufacturing discipline and global efficiency.