Ford has recruited former Apple executive Peter Stern to lead a fresh business unit focused on providing vehicle owners with software-based subscription services.
The Dearborn-based automaker's newly formed Ford Integrated Services division aims to merge software and hardware to offer innovative customer experiences.
Peter Stern, vice president of Services at Apple Inc., speaks during a company product launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park on March 25, 2019 in Cupertino, California.
Ford President Integrated Services
Peter Stern, who served as Apple's vice president of services, will assume the role of President of Ford Integrated Services, reporting directly to CEO Jim Farley.
During his tenure at Apple, Stern played a significant role in overseeing various services, including Apple TV+, iCloud storage, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, and fitness operations.
He will apply his expertise to broaden Ford's services, including expanding the BlueCruise hands-free driving system and enhancing productivity, safety, and security offerings.
The establishment of Ford Integrated Services aligns with the company's overarching Ford+ strategy, which strongly emphasizes enhancing customer experiences through top-notch hardware and software integration.
This strategic move, which leverages Stern's capabilities, aims to propel Ford's transformation in the rapidly evolving automotive landscape. Stern's responsibilities encompass the development of the Ford Blue, Model e, and Ford Pro software-enabled customer experiences.
It includes bolstering the BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system, fortifying productivity, and enhancing safety and security services.
Furthermore, Stern is tasked with envisioning and delivering novel high-value services, overseeing services marketing, certain customer experiences outside the vehicle, and leading the Ford Next initiative.
Read Also: Ford BlueCruise is Only Available via Subscription, Autonomous Driving to Come Standard
Ford CEO Jim Farley Praises Former Apple Executive Peter Stern
Jim Farley emphasized the significance of this move, highlighting that Peter Stern is uniquely qualified to spearhead this vital aspect of Ford's strategy.
"This is transformational, because the cornerstone of our Ford+ plan is creating incredible customer services and experiences enabled by great hardware and software. There's simply no one in the world better able than Peter Stern to build this strategically vital part of our business," Farley said.
Stern expressed his enthusiasm for the new role, stating that he is motivated to contribute to Ford's transformation and offer valuable, affordable services to a wide array of customers.
He recognized the pivotal shift underway in the automotive industry, spanning from conventional internal combustion engines to electric vehicles and from manual to autonomous driving.
"At the same time, the basis for differentiation is shifting from the vehicles alone to the integration of hardware, software, and services. I'll be in the middle of something truly historic and am particularly fortunate to do that at Ford, which has been democratizing automotive technology for 120 years and counting," Stern remarked.
Stern's diverse background, which includes his tenure at Apple, his leadership in marketing various services, and his experience at Time Warner Cable, equips him to lead Ford's efforts in this direction.
Ford's decision to leverage Stern's expertise reflects its adoption of the evolving automotive landscape, where software-based services and customer experiences are gaining prominence.
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