18 June 2021

Ford tests how people react to self-driving delivery vehicle


This Ford Transit with a gaggle of goggle-eyed sensors might look like a driverless vehicle when you meet it, but it has a hidden driver, writes Brian Byrne.

It's part of research by Ford and logistics partner Hermes to find out how other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians react to an autonomous vehicle. It will also give couriers on foot an opportunity to work as if the van was self-driving, using an app to open the load door when it is parked and accessing their particular packages by following automatic voice prompts and screens.

Ford has been testing self-driving technology in major cities across the US and plans to invest around $7 billion in autonomous vehicles during 10 years through to 2025.