Ford has become the first manufacturer to test autonomous vehicles on the streets of the USA’s capital, Washington D.C.
With the manufacturer already testing modified versions of the Fusion in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Miami, the manufacturer has announced a partnership with the city’s government to allow for driverless vehicle testing from the start of next year.
Ford plans to launch a self-driving vehicle service in the city from 2021, which would follow on from a similar venture in Miami.
Ford’s chief executive of autonomous vehicles, Sherif Marakby, said in the brand’s Self-Driven blog: “The advent of self-driving vehicles promises a chance to make it more affordable and easier for people to get to jobs by filling gaps in access to public transportation, new ways to deliver food and other products, and more.
“It also means change — and how we prepare for that change will greatly impact people and their communities.”
Find New Ford deals
The American manufacturer is working alongside autonomous technology brand Argo AI to map the road network around the district, with the fleet of vehicles expanding throughout the test process.
This step by Ford is significant, as it will give the brand an opportunity to display autonomous driving to the law and decision makers of the US, as members of the US Congress and House of Representatives will be able to see the work Ford is doing towards improving driverless technology.
Marakby added: “This technology holds the potential to change our world far beyond our nation’s capital, but D.C. is an ideal place to continue building the foundation for a great service — one that helps free up our roads, ease congestion and improve people’s access to the services they need.”
