Self-driving vehicles need official safety standard, says Ford boss
The CEO of America’s second-largest auto company is calling for the federal government to set standards for fully or partially automated vehicles, to tighten the safety of electronic driving systems.
Ford CEO Jim Farley is the highest-profile auto executive to publicly recognise a need to more closely monitor the emerging technology, which is becoming more prevalent on America’s roadways as questions are being raised about the potential risks to motorists.
In limited areas, companies are beginning to deploy fully autonomous ridehailing services.
Farley’s comments follow increased scrutiny by regulators of Tesla’s partially automated Autopilot driver-assist system, which has been involved in a series of highprofile crashes. Tesla also is using selected owners to test its Full Self-Driving software on public roads.
‘‘Absolutely,’’ Farley said when asked whether federal regulations were needed. ‘‘Today, the regulations are state-by-state. They’re really oriented toward the development of the technology, not large-scale deployment of the technology.’’
Argo AI, an autonomous vehicle company in which Ford is a major investor, is moving ahead with technology that will let Ford start an autonomous ride-hailing service. It is testing vehicles with human backup drivers in six US cities.
Later this year, Ford will offer Blue Cruise, its own partially automated highway driving system that, like Tesla’s Autopilot, keeps cars centred in their lane and a safe distance behind traffic in front of them. With Blue Cruise, drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel. But unlike Autopilot, they will be monitored by a camera to make sure they are paying attention.
Some drivers have thwarted Tesla’s efforts to monitor them by detecting hands on the steering wheel. Earlier this month, a man was arrested in California after an officer spotted his Tesla on a freeway with the man riding in the back seat and no-one behind the wheel.