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Automakers
and
suppliers
are busy
reinventing
the
future
with the
multi-billion
dollar
investments
in
hybrid,
electric
and
self-driving
vehicles.
At the
same
time,
the
industry
– along
with
regulators
and
municipalities
–
continue
to
debate
the most
effective
ways to
fit all
of the
new
forms of
emerging
transportation
together
in a way
that is
both
profitable
and
benefits
consumers.
(Photo
by
NAIAS)
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'The
Final
Word’
with
Bill
Ford on
the
change
facing
the auto
industry
By
Karen
Hudson
Samuels
Tell Us
USA News
Ford
Motor
Co.
Executive
Chairman
Bill
Ford Jr.
opened
himself
up to
questioning
on a
broad
range of
topics
in a
fireside
style
interview
with
Detroit
News
writer
Daniel
Howes,
before
an
audience
of
hundreds
gathered
for the
North
American
International
Auto
Show.
On the
subject
of
technology,
Ford
said he
foresaw
the
change
that is
driving
the auto
industry
to
reinvent
itself
but
cautioned
that
it’s
easy to
get
transfixed
by high
tech
“You
have to
take a
step
back and
say is
this
actually
improving
people’s
lives,
making
life
easier
and more
fun, and
if the
answer
is ‘no’
we
probably
shouldn’t
do it or
repackage
it.”
If
he could
go back
in time
Ford,
said he
would
love to
reframe
the
whole
discussion
about
car
companies
moving
away
from
making
sedans,
“All
we’re
changing
is the
silhouette,
so if
you
think of
today’s
sedan,
it will
still be
there”
in a
higher
profile
with
more
usable
interior
space,
something
customers
said
they
want,
but if
they
don’t
Ford we
can go
back and
revisit
the
decision.
Talking
about
the
company’s
decision
to
invest
in
Corktown,
Ford
revealed
his
personal
feelings
saying
for
someone
who
loves
the area
he
“hated”
seeing
the
train
station
as the
poster
child
for
everything
that was
wrong
with
Detroit.
In
thinking
about
the
train
station
and all
of
Corktown
he
realized
“We have
something
there
that
can’t be
recreated
in a
Silicon
Valley
campus.”
Ford
reasoned
that
taking
one of
the most
beautiful
buildings
in the
world
and
repurposing
it for
the
future
would
make it
an
interesting
place to
work and
in the
war for
talent
he said
that
“cool
and
compelling.”
Ford
recently
entered
into an
alliance
with
Volkswagen
to build
commercial
vehicles
but
while
such
partnerships
are part
of an
evolving
industry
that is
looking
to
control
costs,
the
Chairman
said
selling
parts of
the
company
is not
part of
the
plan.
On
subject
of
regulatory
policies
governing
trade
and
tariffs
Ford
said the
lack of
civility
and
clarity
in
Washington
is
making
it
difficult
for
businesses
to
operate.
“We make
billion
dollar
decisions
on
sourcing,
on
purchasing”
in an
industry
Ford
says
graves
clarity
and lead
time to
deal
with any
reality,
whether
its
tariffs
or trade
or
regulatory
policy
there is
really
no clear
direction.
It
was
evident
in the
hour
long
conversation
that for
Bill
Ford
customer
perceptions
of the
company
are
paramount
“It’s
most
important
to be a
trusted
company,
nothing
is more
important
to me
than our
corporate
reputation.”
If
customers
are
afraid
of us or
technology
said
Ford
it’s not
going to
work.
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