Ford has recently unveiled the Fusion Hybrid Automated Research Vehicle that will be used to make progress on future automated driving and other advanced technologies.
Jointly developed with State Farm and the University of Michigan, the research vehicle will test current and future sensing systems as well as driver assist technologies. Ford's goal is to advance development of new technologies with its supplier partners so these features can be applied to the company’s next generation of vehicles.
It uses four scanning infrared light sensors - named LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) - that scan the road at 2.5 million times per second. The sensors can bounce infrared light off everything within 200 feet (61 meters) to generate a real-time 3D map of the surrounding environment. This map is used to drive the car and ensure it doesn't hit anything.
"The Ford Fusion Hybrid automated vehicle represents a vital step toward our vision for the future of mobility," said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. "We see a future of connected cars that communicate with each other and the world around them to make driving safer, ease traffic congestion and sustain the environment. By doing this, Ford is set to have an even greater impact in our next 100 years than we did in our first 100."
