Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle – 1st to Test Autonomous Vehicle at Mcity – Video

 

• Ford is the first automaker to test an autonomous vehicle at Mcity, part of the University of Michigan, and the world’s first full-scale simulated real-world urban environment designed to test connected and automated vehicles in an effort to accelerate development time

• Ford has been testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years, and offers a broad portfolio of available semi-autonomous technologies on vehicles globally – designed to make customers’ daily drives more convenient

• Ford expanding testing of its Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle, putting cameras, radar, LiDAR sensors and real-time 3D mapping technology through the paces on diversity of roads and realistic neighborhoods of Mcity

• Autonomous vehicles are a key part of Ford Smart Mobility – the company’s plan to deliver the next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and big data, while making millions of people’s lives better

 

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 13, 2015 – Ford is the first automaker to test autonomous vehicles at Mcity – the full-scale simulated real-world urban environment at the University of Michigan. The 32-acre facility is part of the university’s Mobility Transformation Center.

“Testing Ford’s autonomous vehicle fleet at Mcity provides another challenging, yet safe, urban environment to repeatedly check and hone these new technologies,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “This is an important step in making millions of people’s lives better and improving their mobility.”

Ford has been testing autonomous vehicles for more than 10 years and is now expanding testing on the diversity of roads and realistic neighborhoods of Mcity near the North Campus Research Complex to accelerate research of advanced sensing technologies.

Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle merges today’s driver-assist technologies, such as front-facing cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors, and adds four LiDAR sensors to generate a real-time 3D map of the vehicle’s surrounding environment – essential for dynamic performance.
Real-world testing in a whole new way
Mcity opened in July. The full-scale urban environment provides real-world road scenarios – such as running a red light – that can’t be replicated on public roads. Click here to see the Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle testing at Mcity.

There are street lights, crosswalks, lane delineators, curb cuts, bike lanes, trees, hydrants, sidewalks, signs, traffic control devices – even construction barriers. Here, Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle is tested over a range of surfaces – concrete, asphalt, simulated brick and dirt – and maneuvers two-, three- and four-lane roads, as well as ramps, roundabouts and tunnels.

“The goal of Mcity is that we get a scaling factor. Every mile driven there can represent 10, 100 or 1,000 miles of on-road driving in terms of our ability to pack in the occurrences of difficult events,” said Ryan Eustice, University of Michigan associate professor and principal investigator in Ford’s research collaboration with the university.