Ford scraps $10 billion FNV4 platform as software dreams crash and burn
Ballooning costs sink Ford’s FNV4 platform as it refocuses on software that works across both EVs and traditional cars.
Ford Motor has shut down its ambitious FNV4 electrical architecture program, a next-generation software platform once considered essential to competing with electric vehicle leaders like Tesla.
The decision marks a significant shift in strategy for the automaker, which had invested heavily in the project with hopes of streamlining software development across both electric and internal combustion vehicles.
The fully-networked vehicle (FNV4) system was designed to improve quality, cut costs, and enable features such as over-the-air updates and paid software upgrades.
However, the program faced persistent delays and ballooning expenses, ultimately contributing to billions in losses across Ford’s electric and software divisions over the past two years.
Delayed progress, soaring costs led to cancellation
According to Reuters, Ford began informing select employees last week about the decision to halt FNV4, using a company video to outline the reasons.
After internal assessments showed the program was no longer viable, executives had made the call weeks earlier.
The system, originally envisioned as a “zonal” architecture—bundling smaller computing hubs to control localized vehicle functions—aimed to reduce wiring complexity and improve the speed of software updates.
Despite the promise, the initiative became a financial burden. Ford posted $4.7 billion in software and EV-related losses in 2023 and another $5 billion in 2024, with FNV4 contributing significantly to those figures.