Doug Field, Ford’s president of electric vehicles and software, is leaving the company

dogfield, Who left Apple five years ago To lead Ford’s multibillion-dollar bet on electric vehicles and software, he will step down next month. He will be replaced by Alan Clark, a former Tesla engineer who now leads Ford’s skunkworks lab in California. Clark’s new job title will be Vice President of Advanced Development Projects, and he will continue to lead development efforts Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform..

The change comes less than five months later Ford announced a massive writedown of $19.5 billion On its investment in electric vehicles, in addition to stopping the production of several electric models, including the F-150 Lightning pickup truck. The company canceled construction plans A next-generation electric truck, codenamed T3And an electric commercial truck. Instead, Ford will focus on hybrids in addition to its existing lineup of gas-powered trucks and SUVs, as it continues to work on its UEV platform, which will eventually underpin an entire family of low-cost electric vehicles, starting with a $30,000 midsize truck in 2027.

Ford also said it is creating a new “umbrella organization” called Product Creation and Integration, with the aim of leveraging its existing vehicle platforms for “digital growth.” The team, which will be led by Ford Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra, will be responsible for expanding the automaker’s electric vehicle range and digital products across the company.

In a press conference with reporters, Ford CEO Jim Farley praised Field for building a strong team that helped shape Ford’s high-tech capabilities. For his part, Field said that he has not yet decided his next role. When asked if it would be inappropriate to leave before the UEV platform goes into production, Field said he was content to “pass the baton” to the company’s industry and manufacturing team.

“It’s actually quite a good time, because I’m coming to Ford to partner with people who know how to manufacture at scale,” Field said. “The product has reached a level of maturity where I rely completely on the experts at Ford – those who know how to bring it to a plant like Kentucky, run it in high volume, build it to the highest quality, and keep it affordable. That’s really why this transition point is a good time for me to hand over the baton and pass the torch.”

Farley outlined several upcoming changes at Ford, including plans to modernize 80 percent of its North American vehicle lineup and 70 percent of its global portfolio by 2029. These updates will include new electrical architectures, improved interior experiences, higher levels of automation, and a new generation of integrated services and software products. By the end of the decade, 90 percent of Ford vehicles will feature all-new electrified architectures, including zoned and partially zoned systems.

The loss of Field is the latest setback in Ford’s years-long quest to transform its vehicles from gas-guzzling analogue cars into sleek, digitally advanced electric vehicles. At the time of his hiring, the only car company with a fast, smooth, and satisfying software experience was Tesla. Legacy automakers like Ford can only look on with envy at Elon Musk’s company, which has released monthly over-the-air updates that have amazed and delighted many of its customers. Ford wanted that too, so he appointed Field to lead the effort. In addition to the title Secret Apple Car ProjectField also served as chief engineer at Tesla where he oversaw the design of the Model 3.

During Field’s tenure, Ford introduced a number of new features, including The popular and highly rated BlueCruise driver assistance system. Ford digital experiencethe New entertainment system running Android Which enhances instead of Prevents smartphone mirroringit was submitted. The automaker has launched a skunkworks project to design the next generation of EV.

However, there were some setbacks. Ford is abandoning its high-cost next-generation electric architecture, also known as FNV4 (for fully networked vehicle). The platform was expensive, contributing to a $5 billion loss in electric vehicle and software in 2024, but it was also a major effort to modernize and improve Ford’s software experience. at that time, It was more cost effective, Field said To adapt the architecture of Ford’s third generation vehicle – the FNV3, now renamed FNV3.X – to the full range of the lineup, rather than building a new platform with a more limited application.

This is not the first time Ford has looked for regulatory changes to improve its financial position. In 2022, The automaker has split its entire business into two separate entities: One focuses on electric cars and is called Model e, and the other is called Ford Blue that focuses on gas-powered trucks and SUVs.