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China’s 18-Month Development Revolution

How Software and Integration Are Rewriting Detroit's Playbook

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TLDR: Chinese automakers now compress vehicle development from 60 months to just 18 while reaching 71.7% OTA penetration. Ford CEO Jim Farley has been driving a Xiaomi SU7 for six months and “doesn’t want to give it up,” calling Chinese technology an “industry juggernaut.” This software first approach marks an existential break from the century old auto development cycle.


A CEO Driving the Competition

When the CEO of Ford prefers driving a Chinese car, it signals more than personal taste. For six months, Jim Farley has been daily driving a Xiaomi SU7 imported from Shanghai.

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