Can you imagine how much more prevalent driverless cars will be in the next 10 years? Automakers are investing heavily in autonomous technology to stay ahead of the competitors. The Ford brand has long since thrown its hat in the race. The Blue Oval released an extensive blueprint of its plans on driverless cars.

You can read the full plan at Engineering.com.

In a nutshell, though, Ford automakers will be investing heavily in two particular areas. The first is autonomous technology for its lineup of commercial fleet vehicles. Technology for this sector would include upgraded components for the wheels, brakes, and body structure to enable the cars to withstand prolonged work cycles.

The second aspect is autonomous technology for hybrid cars. Improved technology has enabled car computers to simultaneously handle self-driving tasks without sacrificing electric mileage range.

Ford automakers have also indicated that starting in 2018, it will begin a number of pilot programs in the self-driving sector. It also has plans to begin a ride-hailing service consisting of self-driving cars, which the automaker hopes to kick-start by 2021. Of course, it’s unlikely that fully autonomous vehicles will be available by then, so the early phases of ride-hailing services will still require human drivers.

It’s suspected that the rollout of such services will eventually and drastically decrease private car ownership.

You’ll still be driving your own vehicle until at least the next decade. In the meantime, why not Visit Folsom Lake Ford? We currently have a Year End Sales Event good until the end of December. Offers include zero APR plus a $1,000 Ford credit cash bonus on select models like the 2017 Ford Fusion and more. We also have used vehicle specials near Roseville, CA, if you prefer a pre-owned model.