Ford hires the longtime Tesla executive who led Apple's secretive electric car project

• Ford hired a longtime Apple and Tesla executive.
• Doug Field will help develop parts of Ford's new software products and connected car services.
• Field ran Apple's secretive electric car project and oversaw the development of the Tesla Model 3.

Ford on Tuesday announced it had hired Doug Field, a longtime executive at Apple and Tesla, as its new chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer.

Field most recently served as vice president of special projects at Apple, where he oversaw the company's secretive electric car program, code-named Project Titan. From 2013 to 2018, Field held various positions at Tesla, including senior vice president of engineering.

He led the development of the popular Tesla Model 3, before leaving the company in 2018. Before his time at Tesla, Field had worked a five-year stint in engineering and design at Apple.

Field will lead Ford's development of what it calls Blue Oval Intelligence, a new range of software services for consumers and commercial customers. That includes things like wireless vehicle updates, infotainment software, and driver-assistance technology.

The move could be a setback for Apple's electric vehicle project, which launched in 2014. The tech giant wants to start production on a self-driving Apple-branded EV by 2024, Reuters reported in December.

Apple has reportedly met with a handful of potential manufacturing partners, including South Korea's Hyundai, but no concrete production plans have been announced.