Self-Driving Fords Could Be on Phoenix Roads by Summer
Jennifer van der Kleut
Some may not realize, in addition to racking up miles at Michigan’s Mcity testing ground, Ford Motor Co. has also been logging plenty of miles at another testing ground - the Arizona Proving Ground.
Now, after what they say has been countless hours of successful testing around the Proving Ground, located in Wittman outside Phoenix, media are reporting that self-driving Fords could be ready to hit public roads by this summer.
KPNX 12 News in Phoenix obtained video of a self-driving Ford Fusion navigating real-world road situations at the Proving Ground this week, and posted it on its website.
The video shows “a hands- free safety driver driving seamlessly through various road features thanks to multiple onboard sensors and cameras,” KPNX said.
Ford researcher Jim McBride said Ford is pleased with how all tests have been going, and is confident their cars will be attractive to the public - and, above all, safe.
“Every time I’ve had someone ride in the car, within five minutes, they’ve completely forgotten that a computer is driving them around,” McBride said to KPNX. “And their next question is, ‘When can I buy one?'”
The Phoenix Business Journal points out that Ford has made a point to test its self-driving cars in extreme conditions, such as ice and snow in Michigan, and now in the sun, heat and dirt of Arizona.
McBride told the Business Journal will head to California next. Ford previously opened a research and development center in Silicon Valley.
“It’s nice to test the car in sunshine, but every place presents unique challenges,” he said. “Eventually we want to drive everywhere, but first we have to go out and map everything. The algorithm development is first.”
McBride also told the Journal that its autonomous car project is close to entering the “advanced development” phase, at which point the company will triple the number of autonomous test cars in its fleet.
McBride said Ford is confident that its car is on track to be available to the public within four to five years-but that safety is important above all else.
“We’re more concerned with safety and the mass market than getting it out first,” he said.