Ford plans to integrate Apple software into its next generation of electric vehicles, a move the companies said will help support hands-free driving technology.

Apple and Ford announced Thursday that Apple Maps will be built into Ford's new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform through Apple's MapKit for Automotive SDK. The UEV platform is scheduled to debut with a midsize electric vehicle in 2027. Buyers will not need a separate Apple subscription to use the in-vehicle software.

The partnership marks one of Apple's deepest automotive integrations since the company wound down its own electric vehicle initiative, known as Project Titan, in early 2024. Rather than building a car, Apple has increasingly positioned its software and services as tools for established automakers.

Ford said the UEV platform will use the technology to provide turn-by-turn directions through natural language, along with real-time traffic and incident information. The system will also include search features supported by detailed place cards and routing options.

As part of the collaboration, Ford will also use road-level data from Apple Maps as it develops the company's next-generation BlueCruise hands-free driving capability and its in-house autonomous driving technology. BlueCruise currently competes with systems such as General Motors' Super Cruise and Tesla's Autopilot, and access to Apple's high-resolution road data could strengthen Ford's positioning in the hands-free driving segment.

Apple's MapKit for Automotive SDK provides road-level information designed to help automakers develop self-driving technologies. The tool positions Apple Maps as a potential alternative to Google's automotive mapping and software services, which already power infotainment and navigation systems across multiple automakers. Apple said the tool follows the same privacy practices used by Apple Maps, adding that it does not collect users' location details and activity in a way that can be linked to an individual user.

"Apple Maps delivers the best map experience in the world, and we're excited to bring the power of Maps' navigation technology to Ford's innovative Universal Electric Vehicle Platform," said Eddy Cue, Apple's SVP of services and health.

"With our new MapKit for Automotive SDK, we're bringing Maps further into drivers' daily lives, giving them an incredibly accurate and easy-to-use navigation system that is seamlessly integrated into Ford vehicles."

Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company's next midsize EV will be priced around $30,000 and "redefines what advanced technology can be – simple, useful and truly attainable for more customers." The price target places the vehicle in a competitive segment that several automakers are pursuing, including Tesla's planned affordable models and GM's Chevrolet Equinox EV.

"We're proud to embed Apple Maps' navigation and mapping technology directly into our Universal Electric Vehicle Platform alongside our Ford app, a full suite of software and next-generation BlueCruise, all enabled by a new zonal architecture," Farley said.

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

Latitude AI, Ford's wholly owned subsidiary focused on autonomous driving, is developing the company's in-house advanced driving system. Ford said the Ford Large Driving Model supports a range of self-driving capabilities and was derived from millions of miles of real-world driving data.

Ford and Latitude are designing both the hardware and software so the technology can be easily scaled across the automaker's vehicle lineup.

The company said that work "is vital to Ford and Latitude's mission of democratizing autonomy and delivering a compelling experience at an attainable price point on the UEV Platform."