Jacques Brent, Ford’s president for Middle East and Africa (MEA), told Arab News that he expected a significant portion of personal mobility to move to pay-per-use model instead of vehicle ownership in next five to 10 years.

To that end, Ford is investing heavily in emerging mobility services.

Ford is also investing $4.5 billion in electrification to add 13 new electrified vehicles (EVs) to its global product portfolio by 2020.

One of these vehicles is a fully electric SUV with an estimated range of at least 300 miles.

In the region, Ford offers consumers a choice between different powertrain options including EcoBoost engines, available since 2010.

Ford is also committed to autonomous driving and is planning “level 4-capable vehicles, without a steering wheel, brakes or gas pedal, for commercial availability in high volumes in 2021.”

These are highlights of the interview:

How does Ford see the future of shared mobility platforms and how are these platforms to develop?

Today, most transportation services operate individually.

We believe that in the future, you will see not only services and transportation options connected to each other but also connected with cities and their infrastructure to deliver more personalized and efficient services and experiences to consumers.

Last year, Ford created Ford Smart Mobility LLC to design, build, grow and invest in emerging mobility services.

We are pursuing a long-term vision to develop services that make it easier for people to move in cities using multiple modes of transportation.

We have our mobility programs being tested around the world in ride hailing, car sharing, journey planning and parking.

What indications are there that the pattern of vehicle ownership is going to change in the future to pay-per- use?

We expect a significant portion of personal mobility to move to a pay-per-use model in the next five to 10 years.

We see particularly the younger generation much more comfortable with sharing and moving away from ownership.

Today transportation products and services achieve about $5.4 trillion in revenue per year compare to the traditional auto industry which achieves around $2.3 trillion.

We know that transportation and mobility services will continue to evolve.

We intend to work together with governments and other partners to provide solutions unique to each market.

Some companies are investing heavily in electrification of their vehicles.What is Ford’s strategy in that direction?

We are deeply committed to electrification, which is why we are investing $700 million more in our Flat Rock (Michigan) Assembly Plant to create a factory capable of producing high-tech electrified vehicles.

The investment is part of our $4.5 billion EV plan to add 13 new electrified vehicles to our global product portfolio by 2020.

There is a perception that Ford is behind other companies in getting to market an electric vehicle with a good practical range. How true is this perception?

Not at all. We are focused on electrifying our most popular, highest-volume vehicles to offer customers around the world even more capability, productivity and performance through electrification — not just better fuel economy.

We are investing heavily in EV solutions through 2020 and plan to launch a fully electric SUV with an estimated range of at least 300 miles (480 km).

Is there a future for electric cars in the Gulf region?

We continually evaluate opportunities where our business can grow and help meet consumer needs, followed by complying with local regulations.

Ford’s power of choice includes everything from fuel-efficient EcoBoost gasoline engines to diesels, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and full battery electric vehicles.

Today, Ford offers a wide range of power of choice in the Middle East and the Gulf region especially our fuel-efficient EcoBoost powered vehicles which have been available at our dealerships since 2010.

How does Ford see autonomous driving developing? What experiments are being done by Ford at the moment?

The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society.

We believe fully autonomous vehicles will first enter the transportation sector at scale through commercial applications, such as mobility services like ride hailing or package delivery.

Our plan is to deliver fully autonomous, SAE level 4-capable vehicles, without a steering wheel, brakes or gas pedal, for commercial availability in high volumes in 2021.

Based on reports we have read, we have one of the largest fleets of fully autonomous test vehicles among automakers, and we plan to expand our fleet even further this year by tripling our fleet size for a total of about 90 vehicles.

What new technologies has Ford displayed at CES this year? And how much of that technology will be applied in future vehicles?

We showcased our next generation autonomous research vehicle and highlighted our progress and partnerships in connectivity.

Ford and Amazon integrate “Alexa” into the car, letting drivers shop, search and access smart home features from the road.

A partnership like this is made possible through SYNC 3 AppLink platform. SYNC 3 is now also available in the Middle East and supports Arabic for the first time — both text and voice activation — enabling simpler control for Arabic-speaking drivers.

Will any Ford vehicle carry new technologies such as Augmented Reality or Super Cruise in 2017?

More automated driving features will come to new Ford models as we triple our investment in developing new driver assist features, such as traffic jam assist and automated parking. In congestion, the semi-autonomous technology “Traffic Jam Assist” assists the driver with steering, braking and acceleration.

Cars ahead and lane markings are monitored by camera and radar.

In 2017, you will see a lot more in that space as we continue to offer driver-assist technologies; in the Middle East, Ford has already been offering a broad portfolio of features for mass-market customers including adaptive steering, adaptive cruise control, front wide-view camera, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection etc.

Why did Ford decide to cancel its proposed plant in Mexico?

We made this decision looking at all the factors, including declining North American demand for small cars and a more positive US manufacturing business environment expected under President Donald Trump.