LAS VEGAS – "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." Famously credited to auto pioneer Henry Ford, these words imply that in times of massive change, predicting what's next is close to impossible.

Now, the industry that retired the horse is itself on the verge of massive change. Ford is once again leading the way. And the change is fueled by technology and digital transformation. Tomorrow at Cisco Live, the premiere networking and security event, Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins and Ford Motor Company President and CEO Jim Farley will talk about these changes and the role technology, software and the connected vehicle will play in the future of the automotive industry.

SUPPORTING FACTS:

Ford has been among Cisco's largest and most important customers for years. The company is the third largest Webex by Cisco customer on the planet and trusts Cisco to deliver network, security, collaboration and IoT solutions. Ford purchased the third Cisco router ever produced.

The CEO-to-CEO conversation builds on the recent news that Webex can run on the entertainment center in Ford's new electric vehicles. Cisco Live attendees will be able to see this Cisco tech in a Ford Mustang Mach-E in the Webex Innovations booth, #CL10.

Cisco has a broad portfolio of IoT products to secure and connect cars, roadways, and intersections.

Sales of Ford's electric vehicles increased 222 percent last month– growing at almost four times the rate of the industry.

Ford has committed to investing $50 billion by 2026 to build a new generation of electric and digitally connected vehicles to solve more problems for customers.

Ford and Cisco are both working with the City of Detroit to unlock the potential and change how roads and cities are run.

Read the full announcement here.

Cisco