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Autonomous vehicles are closer to
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2115170

Ford tests an autonomous vehicle on its Dearborn campus.

Jackie Headapohl | Managing Editor

F

ive years. That’s it.
POLICYMAKERS TAKE NOTICE
By that time, Ford Motor Co.
Those at Ford Motor Co. aren’t the only
will have a fully autonomous vehi- ones thinking autonomous vehicles
cle on the road, according to CEO Mark
are the wave of the future — so do
Fields, in a speech he gave last month at
Michigan’s elective leaders.
the company’s Dearborn headquarters.
The Michigan Senate passed legisla-
Self-driving cars “will have
tion in early September that
as significant an impact on
would make Michigan the first
society as Henry Ford’s moving
state in the country to allow
assembly line did in the last
driverless cars to test on public
century,” Fields said. “We see
roads without anyone in the
the autonomous car chang-
vehicle and would also allow
ing the way the world moves
automakers to operate ride-hail-
again.”
ing businesses that don’t require
Fields said that Ford has
drivers.
been taking steps to keep the
Mark Fields
Michigan, like seven other
cost of producing self-driving
states, already allows the testing
vehicles as low as possible to
of autonomous vehicles with
encourage wary drivers to adopt the new a “licensed operator” present. The new
technology and trust that driverless cars
legislation would eliminate the “licensed
are a practical commuting solution.
operator” from the equation, making it
He added that Ford wants to bring
easier for companies invested in autono-
autonomous vehicles to a wide range of
mous driving technology, like Ford, to
customers, “not just those who can afford test their driverless vehicles in the state,
luxury cars,” he said. “By the year 2025,
perhaps even accelerating the develop-
we are confident that Ford can make
ment of the technology.
vehicles that will be available for people
The measure still needs the approval
to purchase them without any difficulty.” of the state’s House of Representatives,
Ford plans to debut the first prototypes which held its first hearing on the bills
by 2018 in a fleet of self-driving cars that Sept. 13, before reaching the desk of Gov.
would be available to only its Dearborn
Rick Snyder, who said he intends to sign
employees, who would use the fleet to
the bills. The goal, say legislators, is to
get from one building to another on the
have the bills signed into law before the
Dearborn campus.
start of the Detroit auto show.

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26 October 6 • 2016

