Ford brings experienced engineers back and uses AI to spot quality issues
Ford is strengthening its quality controls with experienced engineers after AI and automated testing alone failed to catch every risk in development. In recent years, the company has hired, promoted or rehired nearly 350 technical specialists, including around 300 experienced engineers in vehicle development. J.D. Power’s 2026 Initial Quality Study already shows improvement, but Ford’s recall tally means the recovery still needs to be viewed with caution.
AI needs better data
Ford is not abandoning AI. Instead, it is trying to make it more effective with better data and the help of experienced engineers. Charles Poon, Ford’s vice president of hardware development, admitted that the company had leaned too heavily on AI and formal design specifications to identify quality risks on their own. In cars, that does not work. When a software fault affects a reversing camera, a driver-assistance system or the powertrain, it immediately becomes a question of safety and reputation.
Experienced engineers are being brought in earlier
Ford has added nearly 350 experienced technical specialists to its quality processes. The company’s more specific official figure refers to around 300 experienced engineers in vehicle development. Their job is to take part in early design reviews, mentor younger developers and help improve the data used to train AI systems.
That is an important shift. Ford no longer wants to fix faults only once a component or software module has reached production. The company is trying to catch problems during the design phase, where changes are cheaper and problems do not reach customers.
J.D. Power shows improvement, but not the final word
J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study ranked Ford first among mass-market brands. Ford recorded 152 problems per 100 vehicles. A year earlier, the figure was 193 — a sizeable year-on-year improvement.
For Ford, it is especially important that the F-150, Mustang and F-Series Super Duty won their segments for the second year in a row. The F-150 and Super Duty are not just model lines; they are the core of Ford’s most profitable US pickup business.
At the same time, J.D. Power measures quality during the first 90 days of ownership. It shows fresh progress, but it does not yet prove long-term reliability.
Recalls remain the weak spot
According to Reuters, Ford led the US recall tally as of 25 June 2026, with 51 recall campaigns. That remains a painful figure, even if Ford describes it as a lagging indicator and links many of the issues to older vehicle programmes.
From the buyer’s point of view, that explanation offers limited comfort. If a car has to go back to the dealer, the customer is unlikely to care which vehicle programme produced the fault.
Ford’s story sends a clear message to the entire car industry: AI does not replace a good engineer. At best, it makes a good engineer faster.
