Plans for the Future
Over the long term, we believe that successful and sustainable mobility may require radical redefinitions of traditional mobility products and vehicle transactions, and whole new categories of mobility services may evolve. Toward this end, Ford is developing a portfolio of new approaches to personal mobility, incorporating input from our global operations and sustainable mobility partners, which includes ideas for everything from advanced powertrains and fuels to closed-loop materials to new business models for approaching personal transportation.
In the coming year, we plan to identify in which developing markets we will initially pilot some of these new approaches to sustainable mobility. We recognize that having the trust and interest of local communities, governments and consumers in these markets will be critical to our ability to test and launch these new approaches. As a result, we intend to focus on locations where Ford already has a presence and has developed a strong reputation for ethical behavior, respecting human rights and contributing to the local community. We are working with the University of Michigan's joint Business and Environment program – the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise – to develop a set of criteria for evaluating the best markets in which to pilot new approaches.
Once we have identified specific markets, we plan to undertake extensive research and stakeholder engagement with new and existing partners, community members and others to help us understand the mobility needs, opportunities and challenges in those locations. This input will help us develop new products, services and business models to better meet the needs of consumers in those and other developing countries.
