After its exit from the Indian automotive market in 2021, Ford is now making strategic moves to deepen its footprint in the country with a distinct emphasis. Instead of conventional automotive manufacturing, Ford is directing its efforts towards the development of electric vehicle (EV) applications for its global EV platforms.
Mike Amend, Chief Enterprise Tech Officer of Ford Motor Company, disclosed, “We’re establishing new manufacturing lines for electric vehicles in Chennai, employing VR/AR technology to model and simulate assembly line flows for our new EV platform manufacturing.”
Enhancing Chennai Tech Hub
Ford is poised to reinforce its Chennai tech hub, with plans to recruit an additional 3,000 employees over the next two to three years. Presently accommodating 12,000 employees, the Chennai hub plays a pivotal role in the design and construction of new manufacturing lines for EVs. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), teams in Chennai meticulously model and simulate assembly line flows for the new EV platform manufacturing, encompassing tasks such as floor planning, material flow management, assembly line setup, and tool station organization.
Elevating EV-Related Capabilities
Ford underscores the Chennai teams’ crucial involvement in augmenting its EV-related capabilities. These teams oversee various consumer-facing software aspects pertinent to EVs, including vehicle theft prevention, charging solutions, Ford Pro commercial vehicle fleet management, vehicle health assessments, and vehicle uptime monitoring. The company aims to further enrich these capabilities and incorporate additional EV-related tasks in Chennai.
Investment Strategy and Future Trajectory
As part of its investment strategy, Ford has already infused approximately $250 million into the Chennai center over the past five years. The company is committed to sustaining this momentum, with a sharp focus on enhancing EV-related capabilities such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, customer relationship management, digital commerce, data analytics, cybersecurity solutions, and overall software development.
