Posted on 03/20/2019 10:07:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Ford is building a new plant in Michigan for autonomous vehicles as the company realigns some factories to focus on its future lineup of self-driving and electric cars.
The new facility, scheduled to open in the next two years, will take new commercial-grade hybrid models and incorporate the self-driving technology needed to turn them into autonomous vehicles. Ford is still considering where to build the AV finishing center and has not said how many people will work there.
“This facility will be about more than just putting the brains into these autonomous vehicles,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of global operations. “We will use the AV production center to upgrade the interiors and add the technology customers will want for a particular self-driving model.”
The new autonomous vehicle, or AV, facility is part of a $900 million investment Ford announced in 2017 to restructure its manufacturing footprint in Michigan. Ultimately, it’s expected to create up to 900 new jobs by 2023. That includes adding a second shift in 2023 at the company’s final assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, to build an all-electric vehicle the company has yet to announce. That 2023 model is part of Ford’s plan increase sales of electric vehicles, including a brand-new electric SUV scheduled to roll out next year. It will be built at a Ford plant in Mexico
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Are they trying to go bankrupt?
A lot of cars in Florida look driverless...until you pull alongside and see a little blue hair who can barely see over the steering wheel.
Electric cars are great for the environment—everyone knows that electricity grows on trees! ;-)
>>>Self-driving cars is a concept that will not survive
First Contact with the American tort bar
Human controlled vehicles kill an average of 100 people each day, yet the tort bar hasn’t shut down human controlled vehicles.
What if self driving cars have a 90% lower accident rate?
I use chauffer driven cars.
If they go autonomous will have to hire someone to open/close door for me.
Yes, it is sarcasm
My father in law just had an unfortunate accident with an 86 yr old blue hair. The old timer ran the stop sign at speed (50 mph) and my FIL drilled him at 50 mph with no time to react. It flipped my FIL’s F350 Platinum Diesel crew cab 2 times and he walked away with a crack vertebrae in his neck. The old timer didn’t make it. That was this past Sunday at 2:15 PM on the first beautiful sunny day of the year.
I imagine the insurance savings would be big.
Self-driving cars with a 10% accident rate, (or however you do the math) don't have as good a record as mine.
>>>Nope. I like controlling the wheel myself. And I have had only one accident in my life and it was when someone hit me.
It’s good to remind yourself every time you get behind the wheel that half the vehicles you encounter have below average drivers.
Winning! When an auto maker steps up to do more manufacturing it has a nice rippling effect to parts manufacturers, utilities, transportation, steel, dealers.
The 900 employees understates the positive impact. GO TRUMP!
900 employees creates numerous opportunities for those businesses which support them. Makes a big impact on the economy. Autonomous cars on the icy roads of Michigan; this might be making its own impact as well.
Not yet ready to accept these newly designed vehicles.
That’s what I’m afraid of.
Agree, I’m a skeptic, too. Maybe the secret is to build separate roads for these vehicles. Robots get to drive at their own risk.
The Boeing 737 MAX disasters are where the robots took control in a situation where a human pilot would know what to do.
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