Ford or will move to information technology

According to a statement issued by Ford and Toyota, both parties have agreed to develop hybrid systems separately, but will continue to evaluate the possibility of cooperating in the development of next-generation information technology standards, and will also consider cooperation in other areas in the future.

Both parties signed an agreement in August 2011 to jointly develop a new hybrid power system to reduce costs and accelerate the delivery of new products. At that time, media reports said that Ford and Toyota had signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in product R&D. The formal agreement is expected to be signed in 2012. Previously, the two companies have been independently developing their own rear-wheel drive hybrid systems.

Ford said that according to its own development, the hybrid system designed for pickups and large SUVs will be put into use by the end of the decade.

On the 23rd, Ford, based in Dearborn, Mich., announced that in the second quarter, the sales of hybrid vehicles increased more than 5 times year-on-year to 24,000 vehicles, and its share in the US electric vehicle market rose to 16%.

According to Ford's statement, 800 employees will be employed this year, and a total of 3,000 new employees are planned to be employed, of whom 80% are technicians engaged in information technology, engineering, and software design. Ford claimed that the company is still recruiting 200 "electrification engineers."