DETROIT, Mich – The Ford Motor Company says it will have a fully autonomous vehicle ready for services by 2021.
According to Ford, the vehicle will not need a steering wheel or gas or brake pedals. This is a break from other companies that intend to gradually integrate self-driving features in traditional cars.
Ford CEO Mark Fields announced the goal on Tuesday at the Ford Silicon Valley campus in Palo Alto, California.
The Ford vehicle will be specifically designed for commercial mobility services, like taxi service, and will be available in high volumes. Personal ownership of the vehicles will come later, says Ford.
Ford also announced it plans to double the staff at the Palo Alto research center by the end of the year to nearly 300 people.
