This is wild❗️
This was no side project.
FNV4 was supposed to be Ford’s answer to Tesla
– A bold, all-in bet on building a unified software brain for future vehicles.
– Over-the-air updates, driver-assist subscriptions, digital feature monetization
– It was the foundation of a “software-defined” future.
Now? Dead.
After pouring more than $10 billion into the initiative and watching losses from its Model e division pile up – $4.7 billion in 2023 alone
– Ford slammed the brakes❗️
– Engineers were buried in complexity.
– Legacy systems fought back.
– Deadlines slipped.
– Costs ballooned.
And in the end, the return just wasn’t there.
Ford’s new strategy?
– Cut losses.
– Pivot fast.
👉 Lean on a nimble “skunkworks” team in California to develop smarter, simpler EVs and digital platforms – with less bureaucracy and more focus.
📜 What’s the real story here?
Legacy auto is learning, the hard way, that you can’t just copy-paste Tesla’s playbook.
Hardware is in their DNA.
Software isn’t.
And while the future is still software-defined, execution – not vision – will separate the winners from the laggards.
💥 Was killing FNV4 a smart pivot?
Or a white flag?
Only time
And the next wave of EV buyers will tell.
✍️What’s your take?
– Can Detroit out-code Silicon Valley?