Ford accelerates autonomous tech testing and Smart Mobility research

The auto maker officially enrolled in the California Autonomous Vehicle Testing Program and will begin with self-driving Ford Fusion Hybrid sedans. Tesla has said it will be the first automaker to make a commercially viable and safe fully autonomous vehicle, and has vowed to continue upgrading self-driving features on its vehicles – and understandably leading other mainstream automakers like Ford to follow suit. The team has been conducting tests this year on different aspects of autonomous vehicle technology, including camera-based pedestrian detection and virtual test drives. The new research lab opened in January, expanding Ford’s presence in Silicon Valley, which dates back to 2012.

The testing is expected to enhance the autonomous vehicle development program of the company and is likely to help the company reach the next level in connectivity, mobility of autonomous vehicles.

Ford recruited about 80 percent of its Palo Alto team from the technology sector, the company says.

Ford executives and engineers have already been testing the vehicle under a controlled environment in a quarantined area in Palo Alto, according to a report from LA Times.

The initiative shows Fords commitment to capitalizing on the intellectual capital of Silicon Valley in the pursuit of self-driving automobiles, a concept that has drawn the attention of tech giants such as Apple and Google.

Ford is also working with Riders for Health to collect Global Positioning System data and mapping coordinates to make healthcare, vaccines, and medication delivery to people throughout rural Africa more efficient and accessible.

San Francisco: Ford said that it has a green light to test self-driving cars in California, and should have them on roads in the most populous USA state next year. It goes hand-in-hand with the company’s 10-year plan for developing autonomous vehicles. You’ll find instructions and a submission form here: InformationWeek’s Elite 100 2016.