Apple Maps will become the built-in navigation system for Ford's upcoming range of electric vehicles, integrated directly into the car maker's new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform. The tie-up is made possible by Apple's new MapKit for Automotive SDK, which streamlines the process of embedding the software into a vehicle's onboard displays, and marks Apple's first collaboration to support self-driving features, extending its influence in the car industry even without an Apple-branded vehicle of its own.

The system will provide natural-language directions, real-time traffic updates, accident alerts and multiple routing options shown directly on the car's screens. Ford also plans to use Apple's road-level map data to enhance its BlueCruise hands-free driving system, aiming for a smoother "on-ramp-to-off-ramp" experience. The UEV platform will underpin a new line of affordable EVs, beginning with a midsize pickup truck priced at around $30,000 due in 2027, with Ford promising future models will be cheaper than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y.