Technology within vehicles has gone from being a futuristic fantasy to a standard feature in only a few short years. An industry leader in this respect, Ford is now bringing in software company Pivotal to assist in the next steps of Ford Smart Mobility. This initiative is Ford’s commitment to reach the next level of mobility, connectivity, autonomous vehicles, customer experience, and data analytics.
The age of mobile technology is undoubtedly upon us, and consumers expect connectivity in everything they do. These expectations extend to the driving experience as well, and the automotive industry is fighting to stay caught up on the latest advancements in cloud computing and mobile-based communication.
Disruptive innovations are never easy to come by, especially for an organization as large as Ford Motor Company.
When innovating in the automotive industry, Ford faces the same challenges as any brand of its size: Development time is slow, and change is even slower. The three-year partnership with Pivotal allows the automaker to move with the agility of a much smaller company, drastically accelerating dynamic research leveraging Ford’s SYNC Connect technology, which gives drivers access to select vehicle functions via smartphone app.
“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 VP and CIO. “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.”
Combining Ford’s influence within the automotive industry with the development speed of a startup is a recipe for innovation and market disruption. This newfound agility was best summed up by Bill Cook, President and COO of Pivotal.
“Typically, it took Ford months to develop software,” said Cook. “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.”
Staying ahead of the game in technological innovation is key to providing a unique customer experience. By enlisting the software expertise of Pivotal, Ford is going all in on its efforts to leverage software-driven technology and provide a custom-fit experience for Ford drivers everywhere.