Driving Innovation — helping Ford develop a tool to redefine the upfitting of commercial vehicles

The challenge

Third-party upfitters convert standard vehicles for non-standard purposes, for example turning vans into ambulances, ice cream trucks, or mobile discos. The process is fraught with challenges, and often the work necessary will void any warranties. Much of the new hardware must interact with the vehicle’s electrical system, sending or receiving signals like engine status or open door alerts, which was previously not something easily accessible. Ford saw an opportunity to simplify the upfitting process, protect warranties, and gain visibility into how their vehicles are used.

Our team worked from within the design lab at D-Ford for nearly two years, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment with their existing internal processes. A user-centered approach was key, with real upfitters actively involved throughout every phase of the project. Extensive testing and first-hand feedback revealed that existing solutions were overly complex and difficult to learn.

The primary goals were to simplify the experience, streamline upfit project management, and reduce the learning curve for new users. This would ultimately enable faster, more efficient vehicle modifications while keeping Ford at the centre of the process.

One of the core challenges was designing an interface that could handle the programming of complex logic sequences while maintaining visual clarity and simplicity. This demanded continuous prototyping and testing to ensure the interface was both user-friendly and technically robust. An existing design system was already in use across a multitude of Ford websites and products, unfortunately not at a condensed scale necessary for such an information-dense piece of software. We developed an extensive system of styles, components and patterns more suited to the experience, keeping inline with Ford’s established digital brand.

Logic creation was just one aspect of the software; it also needed to allow users to run those sequences, debug their logic, and eventually upload it to a single vehicle, or entire fleet. It’s rare to work on a single digital product with so many real-world implications — turning digital and analog signals into in-vehicle touchscreen dashboards, powering lighting rigs, and manoeuvring snowplough arms.

The software launched alongside the 2023 Ford F150, with plans to roll out to other Ford models in 2024. By taking an upfitter-centric approach to design and testing, we created a tool that completely changed what was possible in terms of customisation, while helping to further solidify Ford’s reputation as an innovation leader in the automotive sector.