Ford Plans To Equip Its Vehicles With A Level 3 Driver Assistance System By 2028

Ford revealed that in 2028, it will introduce a level 3 hands-off, eyes-off driver assistance system installed in a vehicle based on the affordable Universal Electric Vehicle platform, which will be launched in 2027.

Ford has been waiting for such an advanced driving assistance system for a long time. The company claimed in 2016 that it would have a Level 4 autonomous vehicle in commercial use by 2021, skipping Level 3 altogether and going straight from L2 to L4. However, Ford, like many other automakers, underestimated the technical challenges of such advanced systems.

Ford said it will use LiDAR to support its Level 3 system. While it added that the technology will premiere in a vehicle based on its new Universal Electric Vehicle platform, which will start with a mid-size electric pickup truck priced around $30,000, it has not been confirmed if this is the model where the L3 system will debut.

Speaking to Reuters, head of electric vehicles Doug Field noted that the new driver assistance package will not be standard at Ford’s $30,000 price point but will be available as an option. He added that Ford has not yet decided whether it will be available through a recurring subscription or after a one-time fee.

According to Ford, “autonomy should not be a premium feature,” and the company will make its L3 system available thanks to software and hardware developed in-house. They added that because they own the technology behind the system, they can provide “significantly more capabilities at a 30 percent lower cost than if it were purchased from outside vendors,” which helps make the system more scalable.

Ford’s new unified “vehicle brain,” a powerful module that integrates infotainment, ADAS, audio, and networking systems, helps make all of this possible. This new computer center gives Ford five times more control over semiconductors, processes complex computer tasks faster than ever before, is almost half the size of old computers, and is significantly cheaper to manufacture.

In addition to these announcements at the CES, Ford also introduced its new AI assistant. It will soon be added to the Ford and Lincoln apps. It’s not just a generic alternative to ChatGPT or Gemini; it’s specifically tailored to Ford vehicles. For example, it will be enough to photograph bags of firewood to answer how many will fit in the cargo area of ​​an F-150 pickup truck. Next year, the AI ​​assistant will be added directly to the screens of Ford and Lincoln models.

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