Ford to launch fully autonomous vehicle for ride sharing by 2021

Ford has announced plans to produce a high-volume fully autonomous vehicle for use in ride sharing services by 2021.

In order to achieve this aim, the manufacturer is investing in or collaborating with four start ups to help further develop the latest technologies by expanding research in advanced algorithms, 3D mapping, LiDAR, and radar and camera sensors.

Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO, said: “The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago.

“We’re dedicated to putting on the road an autonomous vehicle that can improve safety and solve social and environmental challenges for millions of people – not just those who can afford luxury vehicles.”

Ford is also doubling its Silicon Valley team, adding two new buildings and 150,000 square feet of work and lab space adjacent to the current Research and Innovation Center.

This year Ford will also triple its autonomous vehicle test fleet, bringing the number to around 30 self-driving Fusion Hybrid sedans on the roads in California, Arizona and Michigan.

Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, global product development, and chief technical officer, said: “Ford has been developing and testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years. We have a strategic advantage because of our ability to combine the software and sensing technology with the sophisticated engineering necessary to manufacture high-quality vehicles. That is what it takes to make autonomous vehicles a reality for millions of people around the world.”

Read more