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Ford’s Autonomous Vehicles to Test on California Roads Next Year

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Autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid

Autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrids will test in California next year

With its enrollment in the California Autonomous Vehicle Tester Program, Ford will begin testing its self-driving Ford Fusion Hybrid sedans in the wild on California streets next year. The advancement of autonomous vehicle technology—part of a 10-year development program—is a vital component of the company’s ongoing Ford Smart Mobility project.

The project will be backed by Ford Research and Innovation Center Palo Alto and its team of 100 researchers, engineers, and scientists. Of that team, 80% come from the technology sector and 20% are Ford employees from around the world who specialize in engineering and design.

“Our Palo Alto team has grown significantly this year, using research and innovation to explore and develop future mobility solutions,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “We’re attracting top talent from around the world to join our team in Silicon Valley, including employees from local technology companies and universities who want to make people’s lives better by changing the way the world moves.”

Real-world autonomous vehicle testing is becoming more prevalent as the race to perfecting the technology heats up. Last month, Ford also announced that it would be the first automaker to test its autonomous vehicles at the Mcity test facility.