DALLAS and DEARBORN, Mich., Oct.
26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ford Motor Company and
AT&T are enhancing the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center on Ford's
historic Dearborn Rouge site – the future of EV production – by
outfitting it with highly secure, next-generation 5G cellular
connectivity to help build the new all-electric Ford F-150
Lightning pickup.
Ford's private 5G network based on AT&T 5G with AT&T's
Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) technology will support
production of the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, the first all-electric
version of America's best-selling F-Series truck.
"With this collaboration, we'll help Ford unlock the potential
of 5G helping to build the truck of the future," said
Rasesh Patel, Chief Product &
Platform Officer, AT&T Business. "It's 5G connectivity coming
to life! And it's all thanks to the transformative ultra-fast
speeds, incredibly low latency, and massive connectivity that is 5G
in action."
"The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center was built with a clean-slate
design and features the latest in advanced manufacturing
technology," said Adrian Price,
executive director, Global Manufacturing Engineering, Ford Motor
Company. "We are deploying 5G technology at this facility as a
platform to enable us to use significant additional advanced
manufacturing technologies in the future."
The all-electric F-150 Lightning has a targeted EPA-estimated
range of 300 miles, zero emissions and available Ford Intelligent
Backup Power.
5G connectivity can help support the electric vehicle
landscape by enabling future capabilities at the Rouge
Electric Vehicle Center including the ability to:
- Support New Technology – On the production line,
employees use tablet computers to send and receive information
about equipment status and material supply. Phones are also used as
a vision system to scan specific components of the vehicle for
accuracy. Both the phones and tablets will have 5G capability for
faster processing times and better connection. 5G will support
additional applications as the devices are updated to enable 5G
connectivity.
- Improve Automated Industrial Vehicles and
Machinery – For any production facility, employee safety is the
highest priority. The lower latency of 5G can help automated
robotics and machinery make better decisions and faster reaction
times to improve the safety of the workers around them.
- Enable Faster Wireless Vehicle
Updates – Previously, vehicle software updates had to be made
using mobile computing hardware, but now Ford makes these updates
wirelessly. The 5G technology at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center
will provide a better connection for these updates, saving
processing time.
Ford recently announced that it is investing an additional
$250 million and adding 450 more jobs
to boost production of the F-150 Lightning at the Rouge Electric
Vehicle Center. Ford's Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is in the
historic Rouge complex, which sets the benchmark for sustainable
automotive assembly. This new center supports Ford's vision of
sustainable production as a zero waste-to-landfill site. The Rouge
Electric Vehicle Center uses natural lighting, as well as LED
lighting and the primary forklift fleet uses hydrogen fuel cells
with a zero-emission profile. It is built on the site of the old
Dearborn Assembly Plant, using the former plant's recycled
foundation and construction materials.
For more information about how AT&T can help businesses get
more out of 5G, please visit
www.business.att.com/portfolios/5G-for-business.html. For more
information about the Ford F-150 Lightning, please visit
www.ford.com/trucks/f150/f150-lightning/2022/.
*About AT&T Communications
We help family, friends
and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first
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innovate to improve lives.
AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). For
more information, please visit us at att.com.
*About Ford
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global
company based in Dearborn,
Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world,
where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The
company's Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines
existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships
with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of
those customers. Ford designs, manufactures, markets and
services a full line of connected, increasingly electrified
passenger and commercial vehicles: Ford trucks, utility
vehicles, vans and cars, and Lincoln luxury vehicles. The company is
pursuing leadership positions in electrification, connected vehicle
services and mobility solutions, including self-driving technology,
and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit
Company. Ford employs about 182,000 people worldwide.
More information about the company, its products and Ford Motor
Credit Company is available at corporate.ford.com.
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