Auto manufacturing giants, Ford, has said it will begin testing its latest self-driving vehicle technology next year in at least one city.
The firm added that it has not changed its plan to begin commercial production until 2021.
The company said it would test self-driving prototypes in various pilot programmes with partners such as Lyft, the ride-service company in which rival General Motors owns a minority stake, and Domino’s Pizza.
But, Ford is still undecided whether to operate its own on-demand transportation service.
Jim Farley, President of Global Markets, in a blogpost, said Ford also would test new business models that involve its self-driving vehicle and the movement of people and goods.
GM unveiled plans last week to introduce its own on-demand ride-sharing service in several US cities in 2019, using self-driving versions of the battery-powered Chevrolet Bolt.
According to spokesman, Alan Hall, Ford is shifting production of a future battery electric vehicle to Mexico to free up capacity at its Flat Rock, Michigan plant, to build the self-driving vehicles in 2021.
“At the Flat Rock plant, Ford is boosting investment to $900 million from $700 million; and adding 850 jobs.
Both the 2020 electric and the 2021 self-driving vehicles will draw on the next-generation Ford Focus for some of their underbody structure and components while using different propulsion systems.
Unlike the full electric vehicle from Cuautitlán, the self-driving vehicle from Flat Rock will use a hybrid system with a gasoline engine and an electric motor,’’ Hall said.
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