Ford envisions Latitude AI as a system that would provide drivers with a “eyes-off-the-road” experience that will allow them to “reclaim portion of their day.” This implies that drivers may sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey while the automobile does the driving. While this may appear to be something out of a science fiction film, advances in AI and automation technologies are making it a reality.
This isn’t the first time Ford has separated a portion of its business to focus on automation. It established Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC in 2018 to focus on developing self-driving car technologies. Subsequently, that organisation was absorbed into Ford Next, an entity founded in 2021 to assist Ford in managing startups, new mobility services, and the company’s share in Argo AI. This new firm appears to be a method to carry on Argo AI’s work after its shutdown last year: Ford claims that 550 of Latitude AI’s new employees are former Argo AI staff.
