Ford Forges Towards Mobility With New Subsidiary

Ford Motor Co. launched a new subsidiary, Ford Smart Mobility LLC, on March 11, aimed at developing and investing in mobility services, Stephen T. Odell, Ford’s executive vice president of global marketing, sales, and service, told attendees last week at the 2016 New York Automotive Forum.

“For a long time now, we’ve been hearing that disruption only moves one way, the disruptors will come in and disrupt the OEMs,” Odell said, “but we actually believe that it is better to disrupt yourself than to be disrupted.”

As Ford’s core business continues to grow, the company wants to dive into the emerging mobility market, Odell said. “We want to disrupt ourselves,” because it is “better to be the hunter than the hunted,” he added.

Ford Smart Mobility — the new subsidiary — will compete like a startup company, and will invest in mobility-related ventures and cultivate commercially-ready mobility services. “We don’t see it as an either/or business, we see it as an added business — actually leveraging from both sections,” he said.

Ford Motor Credit Co. is also making sure steps into the mobility space, with plans to focus on both Ford’s core business and emerging opportunities. “We are looking to support Ford in its transition from an auto company, to an auto and mobility company,” Joy Falotico, Ford Credit’s chief operating officer, told Auto Finance News previously.