Ford's CEO Jim Farley expressed doubts about the technological approach of autonomous vehicles followed by Teslaciting the “trust” of users and the need to “be careful” as Ford's reasons to see more potential in systems based on laser sensors as Those in Waymo cars.
Opinion is a recent sign of the auto industry's opposition to the vision of Tesla CEO Elon Musk of low-cost driving vehicles that use video cameras only and fake intelligence-Bet Musk believes it will eventually pay for and mobilize other operators Tesla License Technology.
But Ford, the third American number, which plans to work with partners to incorporate self -driving technology in its future vehicles, does not seem to have a Tesla license at any time soon, based on Farley's opinion on Friday.
“When you have a brand like Ford, when there is new technology, you must be very careful,” Farley said at the Aspen Ideas Festival on Friday. “We truly believe that Lidar is very important,” Farley said, referring to laser sensors It is used by a company like Waymo.
Farley was interviewed by Walter Isaacson, who published a biography on Elon Musk in 2023. When their conversation turned out to be Independence, Isaacson asked Farley to compare all Waymo and Tesla systems, and asked what was the most understandable way.
“To us, Waymo,” Farley said. Showed that both WaymoOwned by Google's parent alphabet, and Tesla have “made a lot of progress” about running himself, and Farley acknowledged that he had had a conversation with Elon Musk. But he said that Ford considered Lidar to be an integral part of the image, discovering that “where the camera would be completely blinded, the Lidar system would see what was in front of you.”
Tesla, which recently launched his robotaxi service in Austin-There are security operators in the front seat-have taken the “camera-unique” route to its autonomous technology, meaning it does not use radar or Lidar technology to “see” the environment surrounding the car. This approach has attracted investigations throughout the industry from people who question it if they are safe without deficiencies, even if Musk says it is more economical and also does
“The issue with Waymo cars is the cost of more money,” Musk said during Tesla's quarterly revenue in April. “The car is very expensive, made at a low level. Teslas probably cost 25% or 20% of Waymo's cost and made at a very high rate.”
Ford said it plans to collaborate with a software company that runs itself as soon as technology is far more. When the company had spent $ 1 billion in pursuit of its own joint venture VolkswagenCalled Argo Ai, Ford stopped funding such efforts in 2022 and decided to follow an example of cooperation. At this time, the company has focused on its “Bluecruise” technology, a system called Level 2 that allows drivers to take their hands on the wheel on the highway but requires full focus. Ford is still working on creating a more advanced system, which will allow drivers not to take into account at some point on the highway – but it has said that it has no intention of building a full system, level 4, only plans to collaborate with other companies that have.
“We decided, as a company, that the cold problem than full freedom in the urban arrangement was high speed, eyes away. Push the button and read the book on your car,” Farley said.