Ford launches Pro AI for multi-billion dollar business

DETROIT — ford motor It is launching a new AI system for its professional commercial vehicle business as it attempts to increase unit profits and software revenue.

The Detroit automaker said Tuesday that its new “Ford Pro AI” vehicle can monitor and analyze more than a billion data points daily from connected commercial vehicles — from seat belt usage to vehicle health, route optimization and fuel consumption.

The goal is to provide its 840,000 paid business subscribers with the tools to increase efficiency and profits and reduce vehicle downtime by allowing them to more easily analyze their business and operations, according to Ford. The automaker reported its professional subscribers increased by 30% last year.

“Helping them maximize their vehicle uptime, increase productivity, and reduce costs isn’t just good business — it’s essential for all of us,” Kevin Dunbar, general manager of Ford Pro Intelligence, said during a press conference. “Our team is helping build the future of fleet operations.”

Ford’s Pro Fleet business includes sales to commercial, government and charter customers as well as its Super Duty large truck business.

Ford CEO Jim Farley said last month that diversifying Pro’s revenues — specifically into software — is a critical growth area for the company. Ford’s software and physical services, such as cell service and maintenance, are “rapidly approaching” the 20% target for Pro earnings, he said.

The new AI offering will be included with Ford IT subscribers, which has helped the company grow and diversify its revenue. Last year, Ford Pro reported revenues of $66 billion and profits of $6.8 billion, a profit margin of 10.3%.

The system is launching as a read-only format, but Ford will continue to look at expanding its capabilities to meet customer needs, Dunbar said. Pro AI built in Google The cloud uses private data from the automaker, according to Ford.