In case you haven't heard, Ford has a new F-150 truck in the works. It took a long time to arrive, and we had many sightings of prototypes showing almost-revealed trucks. We have also seen the interior through leaked photos, but at this point we have still not narrowed down the various technological improvements that the truck will receive.
Now we know an important milestone that was revealed by Ford's director of purchasing and product development, Hau Thai-Tang. The F-150 2021 will have the infrastructure for live updates (OTA).
Motor1.com He contacted Ford to confirm this, and they sent us a transcript of an interview between Thai-Tang and Bank of America analyst Merrill Lynch John Murphy. The interview took place at the Bank of America World Auto Summit, and although most of the discussions focused on the financial aspects of business development, Thai-Tang mentioned OTA's capabilities for the new F-150. .
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No additional details were offered, but in the context of maintenance, Ford sees this connectivity as a way to reduce warranty costs while improving reliability and as a way to potentially monetize the data collected. , the services provided. or both.
What exactly this means is still part of the mystery. Future connectivity certainly has advantages in vehicle maintenance, remote troubleshooting, and connecting software updates to improve various systems. Gathering data on features used by customers can help Ford determine options and additional costs, and then there is the seller / supplier side of the equation with various applications and services. We will probably have to wait for the arrival of the new truck before understanding the full scope of this system. For now, I just know it's coming.
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Speaking of which, the week has been busy for the news of the new Ford F-150, at least as far as production is concerned. A May 13 report hinted that the next generation pickup would not go into production until early October in Michigan and early November at the Kansas City F-150 plant. A few days later, Ford reportedly told the Detroit Free Press that deliveries of the 2021 truck would begin at the end of the year. Whether it happens sooner or later probably depends on the situation of the coronavirus, but either way, it looks like the new F-150 will be there before the end of 2020.