Mr. Fields had failed to persuade investors and his own board<br />that the company was moving fast enough to develop the vehicles of the future, like battery-powered cars that drive themselves.<br />They also suggested Ford might need to shed some unprofitable business units or drop out of global markets<br />like India, where it is struggling to maintain a foothold — an unwinding similar to the way G. M.<br />is repositioning its business under its chief executive, Mary Barra.<br />By BILL VLASICMAY 22, 2017<br />“He’s not just a futurist, he’s a very good operative executive,” said William<br />Ford Jr., right, introducing Jim Hackett, the automaker’s new chief executive.<br />“We’ve mapped out a path that gives us a lot of opportunity.”<br />One of Mr. Hackett’s first tasks will be to demonstrate<br />that progress, and change perceptions that Ford is behind not only Tesla and Google but also traditional rivals like G. M.<br />that are testing prototypes of autonomous cars.<br />Since last year, he has been in the middle of the automotive revolution as the head of Ford’s nascent division devoted to autonomous vehicles<br />and new forms of personal mobility like ride-hailing services.<br />2 automaker by sales, after G. M., reflects the challenges that lie ahead for companies that cannot adapt to that new landscape fast enough.
