Ford is one of the American brands actively pushing its production towards a greener future. The growing demand for renewable energy is reaching every industry, including the automotive sector. Still, many buyers continue to prefer traditional combustion engines when purchasing or upgrading a vehicle. To address this, the brand has developed a strategy aimed at encouraging consumers to adopt a more environmentally conscious mindset, and also challenging other automakers in a new type of technology – for the traditional automaker.
Ford is entering a “new” industry.
Ford is one of the American giants investing heavily in autonomous driving. With Tesla, Mercedes, and GM leading headlines, the company has quietly developed its own strategy to challenge the myth that self-driving technology belongs only to premium models. The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and driver-assistance systems has shifted consumer expectations, but full autonomy remains out of reach for many.
To address this, the automaker is introducing a solution aimed not at luxury buyers, but at everyday drivers. Its new “Economy” tech focuses on practical autonomy, optimizing fuel efficiency and reducing driver input during highway travel, without the high costs linked to advanced self-driving packages. This positions the brand to reach a much broader audience without the futuristic promises that still dominate much of the industry’s narrative.
The company will add the technology to more accessible models
Now, Ford plans to bring this technology to its most accessible models, aiming to redefine how Americans view autonomous driving – not as a luxury, but as a practical upgrade built for daily roads. Ford Motor Co. shared its fourth-quarter earnings in February, where CEO Jim Farley addressed questions about a possible partnership for autonomous driving technology.
Farley said the company is close to making a decision and acknowledged that his team is keeping an eye on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. He also mentioned that customers have already driven over 300 million miles using the company’s in-house BlueCruise system.
“Customers are still paying for it,” Farley said, noting that it recently lowered the price of BlueCruise as the technology becomes more common. Still, he called it “a great opportunity” and said the company’s capabilities in the space are growing.
Former investment didn’t pay off
In 2022, Ford-backed self-driving startup Argo AI shut down after a $1 billion investment. According to Farley, many of Argo’s engineers are now working within the company, developing a Level 2 and Level 3 system that he believes will be among the best on the market.
Farley added that Ford’s current software has been winning awards in the Level 2 category and that Level 2+ features are coming soon. Without directly naming Tesla, Farley said the brand remains open to exploring other systems and recognizes the progress others are making toward Level 4 autonomy. “They’re making a lot of progress over there on Level 4,” he said.
Market competition
Farley said the team is aware of Tesla’s FSD and Waymo’s technologies, as Level 4 personal autonomy becomes more accessible. He ended by saying that the automaker is “getting a lot closer” to making a decision and expects it to be a practical one.
In February, the company’s shares dropped 7%, trading at $9.34, after reporting bigger-than-expected losses in its electric vehicle division and a weaker outlook for 2025. Still, total revenue rose both compared to the previous quarter and the same period last year, reaching $48.2 billion.
Uber and GM working together in automation
Like Tesla, both Uber and GM started as something else but are now pivoting toward self-driving technology – each at its own pace and with its own strategy. Uber, in particular, has shifted its stance more than once. In May 2024, the company’s CEO claimed that Tesla would eventually need Uber to run its driverless cab.