Following the likes of Nissan, Uber, Google and Tesla, car giant Ford is also serious about self-driving vehicles. A trial is being conducted in Miami to use self-driving vehicles to ease traffic congestion in the city.
Although Ford has not yet bet on self-driving vehicles as emphatically as other companies, this certainly does not mean the company is neglecting the fast-approaching self-driving future. For instance, the company has already partnered with Domino's to automate pizza delivery.
In a way, the new test in Miami is an extension of this research. In addition to Domino's, tests are also being conducted with logistics company Postmates. Other tests will undoubtedly follow. Among other things, Ford wants to use this to gain insight into how a self-driving vehicle should be provisioned before it hits the road and how customers subsequently interact with it. For example, can vehicles that do not need double parking when the delivery driver delivers the goods to the door avoid traffic delays? The experience Ford is building from the tests will be incorporated into a purpose-built autonomous vehicle planned for 2021.
Besides self-driving couriers, Ford's so-called Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicles are also conquering the streets of Miami. These vehicles operate from a new self-driving vehicle terminal by Ford in Miami. The terminal will be used to manage the self-driving fleet, troubleshoot problems and ensure the cars are kept in good working order.
These cars will be used to map roads and collect data to improve navigation capabilities, knowledge of local traffic rules and the habits of human drivers in Miami. With the positive experience in Miami, Ford aims to develop a blueprint for self-driving vehicle service in other cities in the future. Want to know more? The video below shows Ford's vision.
