Ford moves into Olympic Park
Ford is continuing its shift in strategy by opening a new smart mobility innovation office in London.
It will be research and develop mobility solutions for Europe, with a dedicated team of about 40 specialists tapping into the expertise of digital companies, academic institutions and existing partners.
Steven Armstrong, Ford’s group vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, ‘Basing our rapidly growing team here in the heart of mobility innovation in London is critical to accelerating our learning and development of new technologies. The location at Here East will allow us greater collaboration and the out-of-the-box thinking needed to tackle the urban transport challenges of tomorrow.
‘We will also be ideally placed to build on existing partner projects and have access to London’s world-class digital talent. Both will be key as we build towards our ambition of being a global leader in mobility solutions.’
The Olympic Park campus is already home to Loughborough University, one of Ford’s longest standing and most significant UK university research partners, as well as the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), which Ford has worked with on powertrain research and this year the plug-in hybrid Transit development. Other tenants include the brand new Plexal Innovation Centre and UCL Robotics.
Gavin Pool, Here East’s chief executive, added, ‘Here East is unique in providing the space and infrastructure for entrepreneurs, global businesses and academics to come together and collaborate in the pursuit of innovation. Ford’s decision to join our community of innovators, start-ups and tech specialists as part of its drive to find smarter urban mobility solutions is an exciting development for the entire campus.’
