Ford’s Cheap Electric Truck Will Have Eyes-Off Driving Tech And New ‘Vehicle Brain’
Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) will truly have a mind of its own.
Ford’s chief EV, digital, and design officer, Doug Field, revealed at CES that the company has developed its own “vehicle brain” that will launch with its new low-cost electric vehicle to bring AI and advanced semi-autonomous driving capability to the platform.
The first vehicle built on the UEV platform will be a Kentucky-built compact pickup about the size of a Ford Maverick that has a target starting price of $30,000.
Field said that developing the software and hardware in-house keeps costs down and allowed it to design a computing module that controls advanced driver assist systems, infotainment, audio and networking that’s half the size it would be if it had relied on outside suppliers for the tech.
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When the pickup goes on sale in 2027 it will have a new version of Ford’s hands-free Blue Cruise highway driving system, which is a Level 2 semi-autonomous aid that allows the vehicle to steer itself on a highway as long as the driver keeps their eyes on the road. A facial scanner tracks eye movement and warns the driver if they look away too long before it disables itself and makes the driver take back manual control.
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Field said a Level 3 eyes-off version will be ready for the UAV platform by 2028, which could potentially allow a driver to read or text if local regulations allow for it. That’s also the target time frame for the eyes-off version of General Motors’ Super Cruise system, which will first launch in the flagship Cadillac Escalade IQ, which has a starting price of more than $130,000.
GM’s system will utilize a Lidar sensor that the current Level 2 version of Super Cruise does not require. Field didn’t specify what types of sensors Ford’s eyes-off system will have or the price point for vehicles equipped with it. Blue Cruise and Super Cruise both require connectivity subscriptions to operate.
Ford also has a new AI assistant that will be integrated into future vehicles, including the UAV, but also added to the existing Ford and Lincoln apps this year. Ford demonstrated how a user would be able to take a photo of a stack of mulch bags and ask the AI how many would fit in the bed of their truck.