Analysis: CEO denies Ford is lagging on self-driving cars

Ford Motor CEO Mark Fields is speaking out on the company's attempts to create a self-driving car (Photo: Bryan Thomas) DETROIT -- Ford CEO Mark Fields wanted there to be no doubt that the automaker is absolutely not lagging competitors in the development of self-driving vehicles. In fact, Ford hinted it could be ahead of some competitors but -- at least until now -- has chosen to keep much of its progress to itself. "We are not in a race to make announcements," Fields said in an interview. "We are in a race to do what's right for our business." The stakes are high for automakers throughout the industry as they jockey for position in the rapidly developing push to become leaders in autonomous vehicles.