Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley shared the American legacy automaker’s progress in autonomous driving technology in a recent interview with Bloomberg TV.
CEO Farley teased that Ford is finally “getting close” to Level 3 autonomous driving, enabling “hands and eyes off” operation.
Ford CEO touts advancements in autonomous tech
Ford’s BlueCruise advanced driver-assist system (ADAS) is expected to achieve a major milestone of Level 3 autonomy soon, as declared by CEO Jim Farley.
This anticipated advancement will reportedly allow Ford drivers to travel without their eyes on the road or hands on the steering wheel.
However, Ford is not yet ready to release this technology for public testing. It is currently part of Ford’s internal testing, with plans to launch in about two years.
“We’re getting really close. We can do it now pretty regularly with a prototype, but doing it in a cost-effective way is just the progress we’re going to need to make.
Level 3 autonomy will allow you to go hands and eyes off the road on the highway in a couple years so then your car becomes like an office. You could do a conference call and all sorts of stuff.”
Ford CEO Jim Farley
What is Level 3 autonomy?
Level 3 autonomy, also known as conditional driving automation, refers to an advanced driver-assist system that allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and their eyes off the road as the vehicle takes control of the driving.
It is a stepping stone on the path towards fully self-driving cars. However, it still requires the drivers to stay alert and ready to take over at any time.
Level 3 autonomy also typically limits where and when it can be activated, such as on highways under good weather conditions.
Ford’s BlueCruise
The Ford BlueCruise has been a huge development for the company’s efforts in autonomous driving systems. It is currently available on several Ford vehicles but is still under testing, according to TechTimes.
Ford’s BlueCruise, once seen as inferior to Tesla’s Autopilot because it required pre-mapped roads, has gained features like automatic lane changes, predictive speed assist, and in-lane repositioning.
In 2023, BlueCruise topped Consumer Reports’ top spot for driver assistance systems. It beat major competitors, including GM’s Super Cruise. Meanwhile, Tesla’s ADAS landed the seventh spot in the ranking.
Now, Ford hints at a future update with Level 3 autonomy, allowing hands-free driving. However, its wider release is not expected until 2026. Therefore, all eyes will certainly be on Ford to see if it can truly deliver a mass-market EV with Level 3 autonomous driving features.
