Ford engineers falling asleep at the wheel – level 3 autonomy ditched

Ford has denied reports quoting the company’s executive vice president of product development and chief technical officer, Raj Nair, as saying that its engineers were falling asleep while testing autonomous vehicles, although it has confirmed that it will not offer SAE Level 3 vehicles. “These are trained engineers who are there to observe what’s happening,” Nair told Bloomberg. “But it’s hu
February 21, 2017 Read time: 1 min
278 Ford has denied reports quoting the company’s executive vice president of product development and chief technical officer, Raj Nair, as saying that its engineers were falling asleep while testing autonomous vehicles, although it has confirmed that it will not offer SAE Level 3 vehicles. In a statement it said the initial reports were inaccurate and sought to clarify its decision not to offer Level 3 vehicles.

The statement said: “We believe that high levels of automation without full autonomy capability could provide a false sense of security, and that this presents a challenge for the driver to regain full awareness and control of the vehicle if a situation arises where the technology cannot function.  That is why we’re currently pursuing SAE Level 4 autonomous capability that will take the driver completely out of the driving process in defined areas.”
Location Based Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • TRW demonstrates semi-automated driving features
    September 16, 2014
    TRW Automotive Holdings is to demonstrate is semi-automated driving capabilities at the Company's vehicle test track event in Locke Township, Michigan, today. Drivers will be able to experience a 'highway driving assist' feature which can enable automatic steering, braking and acceleration for highway speeds above 25 mph. The demonstration vehicle integrates TRW's AC1000 radar and next generation camera prototype together with its electrically powered steering belt drive (EPS BD) and electronic stability
    Read More
  • AV/ridesharing mix wins major auto investment
    May 5, 2016
    The US has a new trend in personal mobility and David Crawford takes a closer look. US automaker General Motors and ridesharer Lyft’s announcement of a strategic partnership aimed at delivering, over time, an integrated network of on-demand autonomous as well as conventional vehicles has taken the nation’s car industry from traditional manufacturing to new arenas.
    Read More
  • Volkswagen tests Level 4 AVs in Hamburg
    April 17, 2019
    Volkswagen Research is testing autonomous vehicles (AVs) at SAE Level 4 in real driving conditions in the German city of Hamburg. The announcement comes as the fall-out from VW’s ‘Dieselgate’ nightmare – when the company was found to have programmed turbocharged direct injection diesel engines to activate their emissions controls for laboratory tests - putters on. This week the company’s former chief executive Martin Winterkorn was charged with fraud for his involvement. But VW has admitted that the scan
    Read More
  • Brake, FTA welcome new guidelines on reporting medically ‘unfit’ drivers
    November 27, 2015
    Road safety charity Brake and the Freight Transport Association have welcomed the General Medial Council’s strengthened guidelines to all doctors emphasising their duty to disclose information to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or DVA (Northern Ireland), where the patient has failed to act. It’s a shift that’s welcomed by road safety charity, Brake, which has long called for greater clarity from the GMC. Gary Rae, director of communications and campaigns for the charity, said: “This is
    Read More

Highlighted Content