Currently reading: Insight: Ford's future in urban mobility

From driverless cars to ride sharing and parcel delivery, Ford is looking far beyond simply making cars. Here's why

Aside from the roll-out of new cars, Ford is well into the ‘mobility’ theme. “Our aspiration is to be the world’s leading mobility provider,” Ford of Europe CEO Steve Armstrong has said.

Ford has been talking to city councils to develop its mobility products. Which means what? Anything from self-driving cars to ride sharing and hooking up systems within cars and a city’s infrastructure, all to make getting around easier and cleaner than it is today.

New Ford Focus unveiled as ‘most advanced’ model yet

Councils are apparently receptive to Ford’s advances. “They have the ability to address environmental and congestion concerns,” says Armstrong. “And if they’re into new ideas to keep people moving in a cleaner environment, Ford wants to be part of it.”

Ford of Europe’s Joe Bakaj said: “We bought into Argo AI [a start-up that’s developing autonomous driving tech]. There’s the potential to sell on the technology later.

By 2021, there’ll be a level four autonomous system that will have been geomapped in some cities. It’s about moving people and moving goods. Internet package delivery is growing by 7-8% a year, and delivery firms find it hard to recruit and retain staff. Automation can be 25% more efficient than a driven van.”

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Ford is working hard on self-driving tech

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Matt Prior

Matt Prior
Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car. 

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes. 

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Autonomous System

Ford is reinventing car models to Ford's advances. Armstrong has the confidence to move Ford's in a cleaner environment. Ford is going to launch four autonomous systems by 2021 in some cities. Interior designers at curtains Dubai provides quality curtains for home and office in Dubai. Autonomous is more efficient than a manually driven car.

rooseaana01 1 November 2019

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