Ford Motor Company is on a mission to bring an autonomous ride-sharing fleet to the market by 2021. As part of that effort, Ford will be introducing its next-generation Fusion Hybrid autonomous development vehicle at CES and the North American International Auto Show.
This new vehicle still uses the current Ford autonomous vehicle platform, while increasing processing power and adding new computer hardware. Adjustments to the sensor technology allow for improved fit and placement, making the tech not only more compact but also better at detecting what’s around the vehicle than ever before. New LiDAR sensors are sleeker and more targeted, enabling the car to gather the same amount of data by using two sensors rather than four.
The two main elements involved in creating an autonomous vehicle – the platform and virtual driver system -- have evolved, representing a big leap in sensing and computing power. After all, to be truly autonomous, the car must be able to perform the same tasks a human driver could, and the virtual driver system is well on its way to doing just that.
There are currently 10 Ford Fusion hybrids equipped with the first-generation autonomous technology, but the company plans to triple the fleet size when it introduces the second-generation vehicle.
Contact Legacy Ford Lincoln to learn more about Ford and its mission to deliver a fully-autonomous autonomous fleet by 2021.