launcht Ford Motor Co said on Thursday it would relocate its autonomous and electric vehicle units to Detroit from Dearborn, Michigan. The company said the new facility located in the Corktown neighborhood would be up and running early next year.
The relocation brings together Ford teams that are creating new business models in a resurgent, diverse neighborhood with industrial roots – Ford said.
The team in Corktown will be led by Sherif Marakby, Ford’s vice president of autonomous vehicles and electrification. The company will begin testing its latest self-driving vehicle technology next year. More than 220 employees will work out of the Detroit location, which will reportedly focus on “mobility challenges and solutions in an urban setting.
The officials believe that, as a byproduct of living and working in a bustling city neighborhood, employees will develop intimate knowledge of the opportunities and challenges that come with getting around in an urban environment. Thereby being able to identify problems and generate solutions at a much faster pace.
