Ford parks ‘mobility’ hub in East London

American car giant Ford today revved up plans to morph into a technology company by opening an “innovation hub” in East London.

The launch of its Smart Mobility Innovation Office at Here East, the digital campus at the Olympic Park in Stratford, is part of Ford’s plans to become a “mobility” company in response to the rapid rise of Uber and other tech firms taking on traditional car-makers.

Ford hopes the new hub, launched at the start of London Tech Week, will help it commercialise smart technologies, such as ride-sharing and, eventually, driverless cars.

“This marks a new approach for us in Europe, allowing for greater collaboration needed to tackle the urban transport challenges of tomorrow,” Steven Armstrong, Ford’s European president, said.