Recently, Ford Motor Co. announced it will have a fully driverless car without a steering wheel or pedals for braking and acceleration by 2021.
According to the Detroit News, company executives said “they plan to leapfrog semi-autonomous drive-assist systems like GM’s Super Cruise and Tesla’s Autopilot that require drivers to take control at a moment’s notice,” and “the cars would be available only for commercial applications like ride-sharing in major cities at first.”
“GM and its recently acquired Cruise Automation subsidiary already are testing self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EVs with drivers behind the wheel in San Francisco and Scottsdale,” reported the Detroit News, “GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, however, has said GM believes the steering wheel, brake and accelerator should remain until safety is proven.”
Several other competitors have also begun: Google Inc. said “it eventually will offer autonomous pods without steering wheels, but has not given a specific date,” and automotive supplier Delphi is “working on a fully driverless taxi service in Singapore by the end of the decade.”
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