Ford targets fully autonomous vehicle by 2021

RELATED ARTICLES: Ford wins best'small engine' for 5th year running New Ford Trucks series launched in Qatar Ford recreates march to Aqaba with truck line-up Ford has announced its intention to produce a fully autonomous, or "SAE level 4-capable" (operable without a wheel of pedals), vehicle for commercial operations by 2021 as part of a ride-hailing or ride-sharing service. To achieve this, the company is investing in or collaborating with four start-ups and doubling both its Silicon Valley team and Palo Alto technology campus in San Antonio, Texas. "The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society as Ford's moving assembly line did 100 years ago," said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. "We're dedicated to putting an autonomous vehicle on the road that can improve safety and solve social and environmental challenges for millions – not just those who can afford luxury vehicles." Raj Nair, Ford executive VP for global product development and chief technical officer, noted: "Ford has been developing and testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years.