Ford is planning to make significant advancements in its driver-assistance technology with the next electric F-Series pick-up, according to Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley. He stated that drivers might be able to sleep, make a call, or engage in other activities while the truck drives itself at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour on highways on sunny days. This would represent a significant step forward from Ford’s current BlueCruise semi-autonomous feature, which only permits drivers to take their hands off the wheel on certain motorways while keeping their eyes on the road.
Despite shutting down its autonomous affiliate, Argo AI, five months ago, Farley’s remarks demonstrate Ford’s continued commitment to autonomous technology. The forthcoming pick-up, which is scheduled to launch in 2025, will be a breakthrough product that is entirely digital, according to Farley. Ford’s F-150 Lightning plug-in truck, which underpins the company’s ambitious push into the EV market, has been a huge success, resulting in the need to increase production capacity at its Tennessee factory.
The Stanton, Tennessee factory, which is under construction, will produce half a million trucks each year, up 40% from the company’s original estimate in November. As a result of the higher output, the Tennessee plant will account for one-quarter of the two million EVs that Ford intends to produce by the end of 2026. The automaker has committed $50 billion to the development and production of electric vehicles by 2026, as it attempts to compete with Tesla, which currently controls two-thirds of the US market for battery-powered vehicles. Ford’s goal is to achieve an 8% margin on EV earnings before interest and taxes by 2026, with Farley expressing confidence that the company can surpass this target, particularly with the forthcoming Project T3 pick-up.
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