• by Chuck Martin , November 7, 2019

In a move toward the deployment of self-driving vehicles, Ford is looking to focus on the customer experience and developing a business model before any large-scale launch.

Launching self-driving vehicles is “the hardest thing” the auto industry has faced since going from horses to cars, according to Ford.

“As we look to the initial launch of a commercial self-driving service in 2021, Ford is focused on what it will take for customers to embrace the technology, trust us enough to take a ride and keep coming back,” stated Jim Farley, president, new business, technology and strategy at Ford Motor Company, in a blog post.

Ford recently named former Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith to lead the development and execution of its go-to-market strategy, including the development of the automaker’s autonomous vehicle brand and marketing, defining the customer experience and building out the company’s fleet management and regional operations.

“Operating in a limited number of cities will enable us to nail the business model and customer experience and gain a comprehensive understanding of the collaboration needed to launch an entirely new service,” stated Farley. “This will make ramping up in the next dozen cities much less difficult.”