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One example of the many autonomous driving technologies out there is the Ford Level 3 driver-assist feature. This is the American automobile company’s take on autonomous driving currently making a wave in the industry. Well, despite the efforts Ford and its team of engineers have put into this feature, it still has its flaws.
These flaws hold it back from being put to use in very busy areas with lots of vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. An example of some areas where this driver-assist feature from Ford might flop is in high metropolitan cities. In an event that took place on Monday the 22nd of May, Ford gave out information on two autonomous driving systems.
Both systems will be available on future Ford vehicles with separate use cases. The first feature will handle braking, acceleration, lane keep assist, and automatic lane change when activated by the driver. But the second feature (Ford Level 3 driver-assist feature) under consideration in this article will take things a step further.
Ford Level 3 driver-assist feature is an engineering marvel that will need some work
The Ford Level 3 driver-assist feature and the BlueCruise Level 2 system are autonomous driving features from Ford. BlueCruise focuses on aspects of autonomous driving like acceleration, braking, lane keep assist, and so on. But the Ford Level 3 driver-assist feature is built to aid drivers in more complex driving situations.
Level 3 autonomous driving features are under strong criticism from experts as they pose a risk to drivers and other road users. These driving features assist drivers in busy areas with a lot of road users. It takes over the steering at the driver’s command while on the highway. With the use of sensors, it guides the car to its destination with minimal effort from the driver.
Lots of car manufacturers are working on or already have Level 3 autonomous driving systems. But regarding the Ford Level 3 driver-assist feature, the company’s vice president points out that it might be faulty under certain circumstances. For this reason, Ford plans to perfect this technology and users will wait till after 2025 to get this feature.
Whilst packing a ton of sensors and smart features, Ford’s L3 autonomous driving systems fail to understand certain things. These things are quite clear to the driver, but the system might overlook them, and this can be fatal. The system is not ready to handle busy city streets with lots of traffic signs, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Leaving driving to the Ford Level 3 system in a busy city will be a big risk. Ford will limit its autonomous driving system to steering, braking, acceleration, and lane-keep assistance on long rides to avoid such risks. In the coming years, Ford will work to perfect this system to make it more usable in big cities with little or no risk to the driver or other road users.