Saar: The duo have agreed to co-develop SUVs, an electric vehicle and scratch their heads for connected car solutions

A lot is changing in the automotive industry. Many carmakers have been overwhelmed by the pressure to adapt to those changes and move on with the times. A classic case in point is the development of autonomous vehicle technology which, as touted by the pundits of the industry, is the future. This common goal of self-driving vehicles has led carmakers to join hands with tech giants in order to shape the future of transportation. While a lot is happening on the global level, carmakers in India haven’t been sitting idle either.

In the latest development, homegrown automaker Mahindra has extended its partnership with the American automotive player Ford by signing five new memoranda of understanding (MoU) which hover around the development of two new SUVs (one mid-size and one compact), one electric vehicle and co-study the development and implementation of connected car technologies. The MoUs, which by the way are non-binding in nature, state that the mid-size SUV will be developed on Mahindra’s platform and will be sold independently by both manufacturers as separate brands. To put that in perspective, take the Renault Duster as an example. It shares almost everything with the Nissan Terrano underneath the skin.

Back to Mahindra and Ford. As far as the compact SUV and the electric vehicle are concerned, both companies have agreed to evaluate the promising projects. The duo will also share powertrain portfolios, with Mahindra supplying its powertrain options to Ford, which will help the American carmaker expand its product range.

Lastly, both companies vowed to co-conceive a suite of connected car solutions. Leveraging on Ford’s global presence, this project will help Mahindra to expand into more emerging markets around the globe.

This Indo-American partnership will continue for up to three years and if all goes well, further strategic alliances cannot be ruled out. What do you think of this partnership? Do let us know in the comments below.