Ford Exec: You Won’t Be Able to Buy a Driverless Car Until After 2025
VP of research predicts adoption rates will be gradual
Although Ford said it would deliverfully autonomous cars to ride-sharing services by 2021, the automaker has yet to reveal a specific timeline for the consumer adoption of its driverless technology. In a new report, a Ford executive offers up a slightly more precise estimate for when we might expect to purchase an autonomous car.
Consumers will be able to buy a fully autonomous vehicle sometime between 2026 and 2031, says Ken Washington, Ford's vice president of research and advanced engineering. "It's really hard to guess and predict the pace of the technology," he said during his keynote address at the SAE WCX World Congress Experience. "Our current view is the adoption rates will be relatively gradual."
Ford had already admitted that individual consumers would have to wait several years for autonomous car technology to come their way. Previous comments from CEO Mark Fields had suggested a 2025 rollout of robot cars for personal use.
Ford's autonomous vehicles will not include a steering wheel or pedals and will reach Level 4 autonomy as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. This is one step below Level 5, which offers complete autonomy in every conceivable driving situation.
A recent study by Navigant Research named Ford as the top developer of autonomous car technology. The automaker ranked in first place ahead of 17 other companies that are working on driverless tech, including General Motors, Nissan, Daimler, Tesla and others.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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