20:14 08-01-2026

Ford’s new compute hub unifies IVI, ADAS and networks for software-defined vehicles

Ford used CES 2026 to unveil a radical plan to simplify in-car electronics: its own “brain of the future car,” a compact, high-performance compute hub that folds infotainment, driver-assistance features, and network logic into a single module. This architecture is set to underpin the next generation of Ford’s software-defined vehicles.

The headline advantage is that it’s built in-house. A team that moved to Ford from the mobile industry seven years ago has produced 35 million hardware modules with reliability above industry standards. Bringing more capability into one box cuts the number of physical parts in a vehicle and trims the unit cost per module by 10–15%—a disciplined, vertical approach that tends to pay off in the long run.

The new High Performance Compute Center promises a fivefold increase in control over key semiconductors and delivers three outcomes at once: higher performance, nearly half the physical size, and a noticeable drop in cost. For a hardware program, combining all three is an unusually ambitious target that signals clear priorities.

Uniting IVI and ADAS on a single platform simplifies the overall layout, speeds up the rollout of new functions, and makes the electronics more adaptable. Ford stresses that the goal isn’t to show off engineering prowess but to democratize technology, bringing tomorrow’s smart features to every owner rather than reserving them for the premium tier—a practical stance that aligns with where the market is heading.