Ford EV Chief Doug Field to Exit as Company Merges Software and Product Teams
Ford said Doug Field will leave next month as it combines EV, software, and manufacturing into one unit to streamline development and in-house systems.
Ford Motor said Doug Field, Chief EV, Digital and Design Officer, will leave the company next month as part of a restructuring that combines its electric vehicle, software, and manufacturing operations into a single unit, according to the company’s announcement.
The company created a new Product Creation and Industrialization organization led by Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra. Ford said the group will take end-to-end responsibility for vehicle development across engineering, software, and production.
The restructuring follows changes to Ford’s EV and software programs. The company canceled multiple next-generation EV projects and an advanced electrical architecture designed to act as the central computing system for future vehicles.
Ford recorded a $19.5 billion writedown tied to those changes as it reduced spending on certain EV initiatives, according to Reuters.
Field joined Ford Motor in 2021 after senior roles at Apple and Tesla. He led efforts to build in-house software systems and develop electric vehicles aimed at competing with newer entrants and Chinese automakers.
During his tenure, Field oversaw a California-based engineering team developing a new family of electric vehicles. The first of those models, including a midsize pickup built on Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle platform, is expected to launch next year.
Ford said Alan Clarke, a former Tesla executive, will lead advanced development projects, including the upcoming EV platform.
The company had previously separated its electric vehicle and internal combustion operations into distinct units. The new structure combines those efforts under a single organization responsible for product creation and delivery.
Ford plans to refresh 80% of its North American vehicle lineup and 70% of its global portfolio by volume by 2029. The company said future vehicles will include updated electrical architectures, in-house software systems, and over-the-air update capabilities.
Chief Executive Jim Farley said the new structure is intended to reduce internal complexity and improve execution. He said the organization will support faster delivery of vehicles and digital features.
Field said his work at Ford focused on building teams and capabilities. Farley said Field helped recruit engineering talent and contributed to changes in how the company develops vehicles and software.
Ford said it does not plan to replace Field directly.