Ford Drives Mobile Pay Ambitions Forward With FordPay

Ford wants to be more in tune with its customers, the company claims.

And one of the ways it’s doing so is through the use of its new digital wallet, appropriately named FordPay. The announcement of this came during a recent wave of news from the automaker that it was rolling out FordPass, its new “platform that reimagines the relationship between automaker and consumer.”

So, what exactly is FordPass?

“FordPass members can talk to personal mobility assistants — FordGuides — night or day to help resolve their mobility challenges, whether finding a more efficient way to get around or booking parking before reaching their destination,” the company explained in a news release. “Members can reserve and pay for advance parking, virtually build their ideal vehicle at one of several FordHubs globally and receive rewards for FordPass membership loyalty.”

And then there’s the concept of making those payments mobile so those consumers can make payments on their own time, in their Ford auto, via the Ford app. This platform, which officially launches this April, is part of Ford Smart Mobility, which aims at driving Ford’s goals toward connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, data and analytics.

“As we’ve studied the mobility challenges people face, we designed FordPass to help provide services that make consumers’ lives easier,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “FordPass is really about listening to people’s needs and developing ways to help them move better.”

The FordPass Marketplace will also include services such as its virtual wallet, FordPay (which will be connected to helping its customers pay for services and parking on demand, as necessary).

“FordPass is about convenience,” said Stephen Odell, Ford executive vice president of global marketing, sales and service. “We’re connecting consumers with the world, making it all incredibly easy.”