Ford CEO Jim Farley recently discussed the company’s strides in autonomous driving, revealing that Ford has achieved Level 3 autonomy, allowing drivers to remove their hands from the wheel and eyes from the road. However, he cautioned that it will be some time before Ford customers can experience this technology.
The journey to fully self-driving vehicles has been more gradual than anticipated, echoing the futuristic visions of the 1960s filled with flying cars. Despite its name, Tesla’s “Full-Self Driving” feature falls short of the Level 4 standard. Tesla’s Autopilot does not even meet Level 3 criteria by SAE standards; the only automaker offering Level 3 autonomy is Mercedes-Benz with its Drive Pilot ADAS, limited to approved highways in the US at speeds below 40 mph.
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Level 3 autonomy allows the driver to disengage from the steering wheel and road view, with the car assuming control and liability for any accidents. Most automakers, like Ford, have achieved Level 2 autonomous driving, allowing hands-free but eyes-on driving.
Ford’s BlueCruise recently topped Consumer Reports’ driver assistance systems ranking in 2023, beating GM’s Super Cruise, while Tesla placed seventh. Farley shared an update on Ford’s autonomous driving progress, noting that the company has reached Level 3 autonomy in prototypes.
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Speaking with Bloomberg, Farley revealed that Ford has been actively testing Level 3 autonomous driving, with plans to introduce it in passenger EVs in about two years. Farley stated:
“We’re getting really close. We can now do it fairly regularly with a prototype, but achieving it in a cost-effective manner is the progress we need to make.”
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Farley did not disclose Ford’s approach to achieving Level 3 autonomous driving or whether the company is considering LiDAR or vision camera technologies, or both. In 2022, Ford integrated its autonomous driving subsidiary, Argo AI, citing the distant nature of full self-driving capabilities.
Given the rapid adoption of hands-free driving through Level 2 ADAS, Level 3 autonomy appears to be a logical step for the industry, appearing more feasible than the full autonomy promised by other automakers. All eyes are on 2026 to see if Ford can deliver a mass-market EV with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities.
