Ford's $30,000 EV Truck Will Come with Apple MapsKGP Photography - Car and DriverFord vehicles riding on the new Universal Electric Vehicle platform will be equipped with built-in Apple Maps.The mapping software will also be used to improve Ford's hands-free driving and AI systems, with the end goal of making autonomous driving affordable.The first vehicle with Apple Maps integration will be Ford's $30,000 electric truck, which we think will be called Ranchero and will start production in 2027.Ford's upcoming $30,000 electric truck, and everything else that'll eventually ride on its new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, will have integrated navigation powered by Apple Maps. The built-in maps will also be used by an in-house software development company to hone future artificial intelligence and hands-free driving systems at Ford.Ford will be one of the first automakers to use Apple's new MapKit technology. Most manufacturers, including Ford, currently use Google's built-in software for navigation and search features. Now, Apple's trying to get a piece of the pie. Eddy Cue, senior vice president of services and health at Apple, says the new software "delivers the best map experience in the world."The Ranchero EV will be similar in size to the Maverick, seen here.FordPerhaps most useful for future UEV owners will be the ability for the system to find charging stations and automatically precondition the car's battery before it reaches its destination.AdvertisementAdvertisementBoth Cue and Jim Farley, Ford's CEO, say the collaboration will make driving and navigating easier. The new mapping system will also be used by Latitude AI, Ford's in-house software development company, to create "next-generation self-driving technology." The company is currently developing a software model to support self-driving capabilities that could even include eyes-off autonomous driving, according to an announcement in January.Ford currently offers BlueCruise, which allows for hands-free driving on select highway stretches when adaptive cruise control is in use. While it's not a full self-driving system, it's able to automatically adjust speed, change lanes, and stay centered on the road without driver interaction, although the driver needs to keep their eyes on the road ahead. It's likely this new collaboration with Apple will be used to expand its mapping data and may even help bring Ford's hands-free driving into more urban areas.FordThe first vehicle to use Apple's MapKit will be the currently unnamed electric truck, which may end up being called Ranchero and will be the first vehicle on Ford's new UEV platform. Though only a truck has been confirmed so far, Ford has teased the possibility of a van and multiple SUVs that could ride on the platform as well.We've gotten a few glimpses of the roughly Maverick-sized pickup from spy photos, and it appears to, unsurprisingly, feature a large screen in the center of the dashboard, which we now know will run Apple's built-in software.AdvertisementAdvertisementFord says the UEV platform and the development work at Latitude AI are part of a bigger plan to democratize autonomy at an attainable price point, but we'll have to wait a bit to see how it all shakes out. Ford's only confirmed UEV at the moment is the truck slated to cost around $30,000, but production isn't expected to start until 2027.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029