Tesla, Ford in dead heat for connected car dominance

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Tesla and Ford are neck and neck in the race to become North America’s most popular connected car brand, each making up nearly one-third of connected car systems in the region. Android-based system Atoto takes third at 11%, beating out multiple automakers due to its ability to upgrade nonconnected vehicles.

Beyond the chart: Ford is learning new tricks from Tesla, most recently in its marketing approach. In June, Ford CEO Jim Farley hinted that the company would cut its entire electric vehicle ad budget and invest it in customer experience, mimicking Tesla’s decision to not use traditional ad channels. By funding consumer perks and services instead, Ford could foster the sense of community that Tesla has.

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