Ford Unveils 4th-Gen Self-Driving Platform

Ford and Argo AI have recently unveiled specifics regarding their fourth-generation self-driving test vehicle. Constructed using a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid, this vehicle incorporates all the necessary components for launching a self-driving transportation service, according to the automaker based in Detroit. It features an enhanced battery system, along with updated sensors and technology designed to keep those sensors clear.

The Ford Fusion sedan served as the basis for the preceding three generations of test vehicles.

This newest iteration utilizes an upgraded lidar sensor suite, incorporating a completely redesigned system with a higher-resolution 128-beam array to deliver comprehensive 360-degree visibility. Ford explains that this improvement enables the test vehicle to more effectively identify moving objects in close proximity. Cameras focused on nearby areas and short-range lidar systems monitor the road ahead and to the sides of the vehicle, while sensors positioned at the rear assist with detecting objects behind the SUV.

The Escape Hybrid’s design provides a better foundation for the self-driving technology, offering enhanced battery cooling capabilities. Ford states that the modified high-voltage batteries power the self-driving system while simultaneously decreasing the vehicle’s gasoline consumption.

Ford is deploying this new testing platform to its designated testing locations: Austin, Detroit, Miami, Palo Alto, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. In each of these cities, the improved sensor cleaning technology is expected to contribute to the vehicle’s self-driving performance.

Ford has redesigned the systems responsible for maintaining clean sensors, protecting them from obstructions like dust, rain, snow, and ice. The new design includes a greater number of spray nozzles that deliver liquid cleaning solutions at a higher pressure compared to earlier versions. The lidar sensors also benefit from a newly engineered, concealed, forced-air cleaning mechanism.

Ford announced in 2018 its intention to invest $4 billion in autonomous vehicle technology by 2023, and recent advancements demonstrate Ford’s continued commitment to this endeavor. In 2018, the company acquired the historic Michigan Central Station and adjacent properties in Detroit’s Corktown district. Since then, it has continued to invest in the area while renovating the large train station. Just two months ago, Ford collaborated with Bosch and Bedrock to announce the development of an automated valet parking facility.

Despite this recent announcement, the company’s self-driving service remains several years away from public availability. In April 2020, Ford announced a delay in the launch of its autonomous vehicle service until 2022, citing a strategic reassessment prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.