While Ford has previously pursued its own autonomous driving initiatives (now-dissolved Argo AI joint venture with Volkswagen), recent statements from Ford executives suggest a potential shift in strategy towards partnering for Level 4 (L4) ADAS technology.
Specifically, Ford Pro CFO Navin Kumar has publicly stated that Ford could use Waymo for L4 ADAS. This comes after Ford CEO Jim Farley praised Waymo’s extensive use of LiDAR, contrasting it with Tesla’s camera-only approach, and expressed openness to partnering with another company on L4 autonomous driving technology.
It’s important to note that while the possibility of Ford using Waymo technology for L4 ADAS has been discussed by high-ranking Ford officials, there isn’t yet a confirmed, formal partnership agreement for this specific application in Ford’s consumer vehicles. Waymo has historically focused on its robotaxi service and has partnerships with other manufacturers like Toyota, Stellantis, Jaguar Land Rover, and Hyundai for various autonomous vehicle initiatives, including integrating its Waymo Driver technology into their vehicles for fleet use or exploring broader applications.
In short, Ford is considering Waymo as a potential partner for L4 ADAS, driven by their belief in Waymo’s LiDAR-based approach.
One Comment