Earlier this year Ford and Volkswagen announced, after a long period of discussions, a new partnership agreement. Several special projects are expected out of that deal, notably the development of autonomous-driving technologies.
According to a new Reuters report, the companies have agreed to collaborate on the development of a pickup, or more specifically one that would carry the Volkswagen name. The deal would see VW borrow the platform of the Ford Ranger to create the next generation of its Amarok truck. In the past year, the German automaker has taken all the necessary steps to pave the way for a North American launch of the model.
The companies also continue to discuss possible collaborations on new commercial vehicles, as well as on the co-development of costly new technologies that would be difficult to undertake alone. A VW executive told Reuters:
"We are in constructive talks about taking a stake in Argo, the Ford division for autonomous driving. A joint company for offering mobility as a service is also a possibility."
- Thomas Sedran, head of Volkswagen commercial vehicles
As agreements and partnerships multiply within the industry, the one between Ford and Volkswagen is only destined to get deeper and broader – as long as it’s beneficial to both sides, of course.
Ultimately, the objective is the same for both parties: reduce costs.