Ford said it is on course to launch fully autonomous cars by 2025 with the first prototypes to debut by 2018.
Initially, the first lot of self-driving cars would be available to only its employees at its Dearborn facility in Michigan. The cars would be used to ferry employees from one building to another within the facility. The cars will also have limited functionality as they won't be exposed to usual road infrastructures such as traffic lights or other driving signages.
Ford's Self-Driving Cars for Ride-Hailing Apps?
Further, employees will have the option to 'call' the cars via an app designed specifically for the purpose, which means the cars would initially serve as sort of ride-hailing service to the employees, Auto Evolution reported.
Ford had earlier stated it plans to have fully autonomous cars ready for use in a ride-sharing platform by 2021. The said cars won't have steering wheels, brakes or gas pedals, which mean drivers won't have any option to drive the cars themselves even if they are willing to. Apart from this, Ford further stated that the cars would conform to Level 4 autonomous driving technology standards.
Self-Driving Cars Economically Feasible?
The ultimate aim for Ford is to make self-driving technology economically feasible, eventually introducing it to the masses by 2025. It forms part of the new "Smart Mobility" initiative now undertaken by the automaker, which it said will usher in a new phase in the 113-year old company.
Ford has currently been seen fine-tuning its self-driving technology using Fusions specially modified to include six long and short range radar, five cameras and four LiDAR, Road & Track reported.However, it is not known if the final road versions of the cars would also be equipped with the LiDAR units.
Meanwhile, most other automakers worldwide have embarked on launching self-driving cars of their own with the same target date of around 2020 for the actual launch of their vehicles. Tesla, however, has a lead over others and has already launched its next-gen Autopilot system that it claims to be more capable in making its cars drive on their own.
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