Ford rethinks Level 3 autonomy

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is shifting its approach to autonomous-vehicle technology.

In 2016, Ford said it would largely pass over Level 3 autonomy and instead focus on Level 4 — vehicles that don't require human control — while continuing to develop Level 2 driver-assist features such as blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping systems. (Automation technology is categorized on the SAE International spectrum ranging from Level 0 to Level 5.)

At the time, Ford executives said they did not know how to responsibly manage the transfer of control from machine to driver that happens with Level 3 systems.

"We abandoned the stepping-stone approach of driver-assist technologies and decided we'd take the full leap to deliver a fully autonomous Level 4-capable vehicle," Raj Nair, then Ford's president of North America, said at an August 2016 event detailing Ford's autonomous business plan.

At the time, executives said the approach was unique in the industry and would set Ford apart from rivals including General Motors.

Since then, Google's Waymo unit also has said it aims to skip Level 3 because of safety risks, and Audi last year said it wouldn't enable Level 3 features on its A8 sedan for the U.S.

Now, Ford is embracing the stepping-stone approach, with the aid of cameras and other systems that can ensure drivers are paying attention at the wheel.

"Taking steps to get there as opposed to a big bang is more practical," Marcy Klevorn, Ford's president of mobility, told Automotive News on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show last week. "I think it allows us to provide autonomy in step functions to get people used to it. Acceptance is going to be a big deal; this is totally a different way to move."

Ford still plans to deploy Level 4 commercial vehicles at scale in 2021. In the meantime, it's offering more advanced semi-autonomous systems that can take control of the wheel and pedals for very short periods of time.

Much like Cadillac's Super Cruise system uses retinal detection to make sure drivers are paying attention, Ford uses technology that can ensure drivers take control at a moment's notice.

That's an important feature to offer as wary consumers first experience the technology, Klevorn said.

"It's more just getting people used to the idea there's increased levels of autonomy, gaining that acceptance and providing functionality now," she said.

"If you go right to full autonomy, the acceptance curve will be very steep, and you won't have as much to learn about how humans interact with autonomy. If you just take that leap, you miss out on all those learnings."

Ford over the past few years has tested autonomous pizza- and grocery-delivery services and conducted studies on how autonomous vehicles might communicate with pedestrians through blinking lights and noises.

Some industry analysts believe Ford is behind rivals such as GM, Waymo and others, but Ford executives argue they're taking a more thoughtful approach.

"There's been a lot of hype and talk," Klevorn said. "But I think 2019 is the year of getting real, delivering and executing for a lot of us."