Ford switches from Google to Apple Maps for next-generation EVs, starting with $30,000 pickup in 2027

The partnership

Ford and Apple announced on July 23, 2026, that Apple Maps will become the built-in navigation system for Ford's next-generation electric vehicles. The integration uses Apple's new MapKit for Automotive SDK, which allows automakers to embed Apple Maps directly into vehicle displays without mirroring the phone app. Ford will also feed Apple's road-level mapping data into its BlueCruise hands-free driving system, aiming for a more seamless on-ramp-to-off-ramp experience. The first vehicle to feature the system will be a $30,000 midsize electric pickup built on Ford's Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, set to launch in 2027. The New York Times first reported the tie-up.

Apple Maps has delivered a world-class product, and we're honoured to be among the first to embed it directly into a vehicle, helping define intuitive, capable driving.

From Google to Apple

The move reverses Ford's 2021 partnership with Google, which had brought Android Automotive to millions of vehicles and made Ford one of the highest-profile adopters of Google's in-car software. Now, for its most important new product line, Ford is turning to Apple. The choice comes as Google's Android Automotive has gained traction across the industry, but Ford's switch shows that automakers are willing to change allegiances for flagship platforms. Apple's deeper automotive integration arrives two years after it abandoned Project Titan, its secretive effort to build an electric vehicle. Some autonomous systems and AI technology from that project live on in Apple's chips and software today.

What the system offers

The Apple Maps integration will provide turn-by-turn directions with natural language search, real-time traffic and incident data, and EV-specific route planning. The system accounts for charging station locations, estimated range, and battery preconditioning, which automatically warms or cools the battery before arriving at a fast charger to cut charging times. Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, said the SDK lets automakers build a navigation experience that matches the look and feel of their own vehicle software. The Apple software will reside in the vehicle, meaning owners will not need an iPhone to use it.

With our new MapKit for Automotive SDK, we're bringing Maps further into drivers' daily lives.

The electric pickup

The $30,000 electric pickup will be built at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky, using LFP batteries and megacasting to hit the price target. Ford has said its upcoming EVs will be cheaper "than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y." The UEV platform is expected to underpin a range of affordable EVs, from SUVs to sedans, though Ford has not detailed the full lineup. CarPlay will remain available alongside the embedded Apple Maps system.

Industry implications

Apple's $4.8 trillion stock market valuation dwarfs Ford's $58 billion, a dynamic that has made many traditional automakers wary of ceding user experience to tech giants. General Motors, for instance, plans to replace CarPlay with its own software. Chinese carmakers like Xiaomi have gained ground in part due to superior in-car software. Ford's partnership with Apple, which includes joint engineering work on self-driving capabilities, may pressure other automakers to reconsider their strategies. Tim Cook, Apple's outgoing chief executive, has long harboured ambitions to push the company deeper into the automotive market, and the Ford deal gives Apple a more central role in vehicle operations than CarPlay ever did.