This is, in short, courageous plan that company president Mark Fields presented at Palo Alto, California. Ford wants to mass-produce a fully autonomous self-driving car without a steering wheel by 2021 year.
Fields also talked about how great impact autonomous vehicles have on society, almost as great as Ford’s moving assembly line 100 years ago. “The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile” he said.
There is no too much
Ford plans to double its investment in its research center in the city, as well as collaborating with four startups to enhance its autonomous vehicle development and doubling its Silicon Valley team.
On the other side, this year, Ford will triple its autonomous vehicle test fleet to be the largest test fleet of any car maker. They are bringing the number to about 30 self-driving Fusion (Mondeo) Hybrid saloons on the roads in California, Arizona and Michigan, with plans to triple it again next year.
The future of mobility
This was most likely to be part of an Uber-like ride-sharing service – but one that doesn’t require a human driver. “Our goal is not only to be an auto company, but an auto and mobility company” Mr. Fields said.
“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.”
