Ford could have fully autonomous cars on the market within four years.
Earlier in the year Google predicted that its self-driving cars would be in use on public roads within five years. It was widely believed that the internet giant was leading the autonomous car race.
It turns out, however, that Ford thinks it can go one better. Speaking to reporters recently, Ford CEO Mark Fields said (via Recode) that his company’s fully autonomous car project could be on the road in four years’ time.
The potential obstacles, according to Fields, are legislative in nature rather than technological. Having said that, Fields is confident that “Technology tends to lead all that.”
Related: Driverless Cars: Everything you need to know
Ford recently announced that it had begin testing its autonomous car project at a 32-acre test layout called Mcity. It provides a full-scale urban environment in which to try out its self-driving technology.
Fields claimed that Ford was shifting its focus to becoming “a mobility company and an auto company,” with part of the company focused on selling traditional cars and the other part looking to where transportation will be in 20 years.
The Ford CEO also confirmed that the company was planning to include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support to some of its vehicles in the future, though he offered no specific timetable.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
