Ford Hires Apple's Doug Field to Advance Technology Role

"This is just a monumental moment in time--a moment in time that I think we have now to really remake a 118-year-old company," Mr. Farley told reporters. Mr. Field joins the company as chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer reporting directly to the CEO. Apple's car project has been an object of curiosity and concern throughout the auto industry since The Wall Street Journal first reported in 2015 about the secret effort code-named Project Titan. Initially, it was believed the company was aiming to come out with an electric vehicle as soon as 2020, but Apple's ambitions were questioned as timelines slipped, the project's leadership turned over and its focus seemed to narrow to developing technology around driverless cars. Apple's rehiring of Mr. Field in 2018 sparked renewed excitement among some observers.