Ford's focus on mega trends

Mindful of the present but with an eye on what's to come, Ford is working to visualiSe the future of the company - guided by these mega trends:

• UrbaniSation, congestion: There are 28 megacities today - metropolitan areas with more than 10 million people. That's expected to grow to 41 megacities worldwide by 2030. Today's infrastructure can't accommodate the number of vehicles projected to be on the road
• Growing middle class: According to The Brookings Institution, the global middle class will double in size - from 2 billion to 4 billion - by 2030. Many will aspire to own vehicles - bringing a new set of challenges
• Health concerns, air quality: According to the World Health OrganiSation, severe challenges relating to health and air quality will exist in developing nations - despite strides being made to improve the situation
• Changing consumer attitudes, priorities of Millennials: Those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s will influence how companies make product decisions
• Limited natural resources: Companies will be challenged to find innovative ways to address the impacts of energy use, water use and increasing demand for raw materials

In response to these challenges, the automaker announced this year Ford Smart Mobility. The plan - including a series of global experiments - is designed to take Ford to the next level in the areas of connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and big data.

"Our vision at Ford is to change the way the world moves - again," said Ken Washington, Ford vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering. "It's what Henry Ford did a century ago to create a better world, and we're carrying on his legacy today."

End