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Ford is the first automaker to test an autonomous vehicle at Mcity,
part of the University of Michigan, and the world’s first full-scale
simulated real-world urban environment designed to test connected and
automated vehicles in an effort to accelerate development time
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Ford has been testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years, and
offers a broad portfolio of available semi-autonomous technologies on
vehicles globally – designed to make customers’ daily drives more
convenient
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Ford expanding testing of its Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research
Vehicle, putting cameras, radar, LiDAR sensors and real-time 3D
mapping technology through the paces on diversity of roads and
realistic neighborhoods of Mcity
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Autonomous vehicles are a key part of Ford Smart Mobility – the
company’s plan to deliver the next level in connectivity, mobility,
autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and big data, while
making millions of people’s lives better
Company Website:
http://corporate.ford.com/
DEARBORN, Mich. -- (Business Wire)
Ford is the first automaker to test autonomous vehicles at Mcity – the
full-scale simulated real-world urban environment at the University of
Michigan. The 32-acre facility is part of the university’s Mobility
Transformation Center.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here:
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Fusion Hybrid Research Vehicle at Mcity (Photo: Business Wire)
“Testing Ford’s autonomous vehicle fleet at Mcity provides another
challenging, yet safe, urban environment to repeatedly check and hone
these new technologies,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president,
Global Product Development. “This is an important step in making
millions of people’s lives better and improving their mobility.”
Ford has been testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years and is
now expanding testing on the diversity of roads and realistic
neighborhoods of Mcity near the North Campus Research Complex to
accelerate research of advanced sensing technologies.
Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle merges today’s
driver-assist technologies, such as front-facing cameras, radar and
ultrasonic sensors, and adds four LiDAR sensors to generate a real-time
3D map of the vehicle’s surrounding environment – essential for dynamic
performance.
Real-world testing in a whole new way
Mcity opened in July. The full-scale urban environment provides
real-world road scenarios – such as running a red light – that can’t be
replicated on public roads. Click here to
see the Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle testing at Mcity.
There are street lights, crosswalks, lane delineators, curb cuts, bike
lanes, trees, hydrants, sidewalks, signs, traffic control devices – even
construction barriers. Here, Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research
Vehicle is tested over a range of surfaces – concrete, asphalt,
simulated brick and dirt – and maneuvers two-, three- and four-lane
roads, as well as ramps, roundabouts and tunnels.
“The goal of Mcity is that we get a scaling factor. Every mile driven
there can represent 10, 100 or 1,000 miles of on-road driving in terms
of our ability to pack in the occurrences of difficult events,” said
Ryan Eustice, University of Michigan associate professor and principal
investigator in Ford’s research collaboration with the university.
Ford’s track record of technology leadership
Ford revealed
its Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle with University of
Michigan and State Farm Insurance in 2013 in an effort to advance
sensing systems so these technologies could be integrated into Ford’s
next-generation vehicles. Earlier this year, Ford
announced it moved its research efforts in autonomous vehicle technology
to the next step in development, to the advanced engineering phase.
The team is working to make sensing and computing technologies feasible
for production while continuing to test and refine algorithms.
Ford offers a full portfolio of semi-autonomous technology and the most
available driver-assist features in four vehicle segments in the
United States – large light-duty pickups with F-150, midsize SUVs with
Edge and Explorer, midsize cars with Fusion and large cars with Taurus.
Along with testing at Mcity and on public roads, Ford’s autonomous fleet
has been put through the paces at the company’s vehicle development
facilities in Dearborn and Romeo, Michigan.
“We are pleased to welcome Ford as the first automaker to use Mcity to
test autonomous vehicles,” said Peter Sweatman, director, Mobility
Transformation Center. “Mcity offers a unique, real-world test
environment that will help Ford accelerate development of its autonomous
technology while building on its existing research collaboration with
University of Michigan.”
Changing the way the world moves: Ford Smart Mobility
Autonomous vehicles are one element of Ford Smart Mobility, Ford’s plan
to deliver the next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous
vehicles, the customer experience and big data.
With Ford Smart Mobility, the company is once again changing the way the
world moves to make people’s lives better – using innovation and
advanced technology across its business to address the world’s biggest
transportation challenges. This is what Henry Ford did 112 years ago.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford
Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in
Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six
continents. With about 197,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the
company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company
provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
About the University of Michigan Mobility Transformation Center
The MTC is a public/private R&D partnership that will lead a
revolution in mobility by developing the foundations for a commercially
viable ecosystem of connected and automated vehicles. One of the central
goals is to develop and implement an advanced system of connected and
automated vehicles in Ann Arbor by 2021.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and
video, visit www.media.ford.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151113005341/en/
Contacts:
Ford Motor Company
Alan Hall
313.337.9618
ahall32@ford.com
Source: Ford Motor Company
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