Ford is gearing up to roll out its highly anticipated AI-powered voice assistant later this year, with the feature set to expand into in-car experiences in 2027. The automaker aims to make this technology more accessible and affordable by designing many of the core systems in-house.
The company's decision to bring most of the work in-house is a strategic move to reduce costs and retain control over its AI-powered products. Ford won't be relying on external providers for large-language models or designing its own silicon, as Tesla and Rivian have done. Instead, it will focus on developing smaller and more efficient electronic and computer modules that can process infotainment, ADAS, and voice commands.
Ford's chief officer for EVs and software, Doug Field, explained in a blog post that by designing the software and hardware in-house, the company has been able to make this technology more affordable. "This means we can put advanced hands-free driving into the vehicles people actually buy, not just vehicles with unattainable price points."
The voice assistant will be integrated into Ford's mobile apps and later expand to the in-car experience. For example, a driver could ask an AI-powered assistant how many bags of mulch would fit in their truck bed, receiving a more accurate answer than a general chatbot like ChatGPT or Google's Gemini.
Ford has been working on its autonomous driving features for several years, and the company plans to launch a point-to-point hands-free system that can recognize traffic lights and navigate intersections. The ultimate goal is to introduce a Level 3 system in 2028, where drivers still need to be able to take over the vehicle upon request but can also take their eyes off the road in certain situations.
The development of these technologies has been driven by Ford's commitment to balancing performance, cost, and size. By optimizing across all areas, the company has achieved a system that is approximately 30 percent lower in cost than current hands-free systems while delivering significantly more capability.
The company's decision to bring most of the work in-house is a strategic move to reduce costs and retain control over its AI-powered products. Ford won't be relying on external providers for large-language models or designing its own silicon, as Tesla and Rivian have done. Instead, it will focus on developing smaller and more efficient electronic and computer modules that can process infotainment, ADAS, and voice commands.
Ford's chief officer for EVs and software, Doug Field, explained in a blog post that by designing the software and hardware in-house, the company has been able to make this technology more affordable. "This means we can put advanced hands-free driving into the vehicles people actually buy, not just vehicles with unattainable price points."
The voice assistant will be integrated into Ford's mobile apps and later expand to the in-car experience. For example, a driver could ask an AI-powered assistant how many bags of mulch would fit in their truck bed, receiving a more accurate answer than a general chatbot like ChatGPT or Google's Gemini.
Ford has been working on its autonomous driving features for several years, and the company plans to launch a point-to-point hands-free system that can recognize traffic lights and navigate intersections. The ultimate goal is to introduce a Level 3 system in 2028, where drivers still need to be able to take over the vehicle upon request but can also take their eyes off the road in certain situations.
The development of these technologies has been driven by Ford's commitment to balancing performance, cost, and size. By optimizing across all areas, the company has achieved a system that is approximately 30 percent lower in cost than current hands-free systems while delivering significantly more capability.
! I mean, who wouldn't want to ask their car how many bags of mulch will fit in the truck bed? 
It's not just about the tech itself, it's about how they're designing it to be more accessible and affordable. The fact that they're doing most of the work in-house is a big deal for me - it's all about control and efficiency. I love that they're focusing on smaller electronic modules that can handle infotainment, ADAS, and voice commands without breaking the bank 
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to take their eyes off the road while driving? 
It's like having a personal assistant built into your car - it's just so cool! 
is pretty genius. And autonomous driving features are gonna be lit! Can't wait for 2028 when Ford's Level 3 system hits the road 
I mean, it sounds like they're trying to control costs, but what about the benefits of collaboration with other companies? Like, maybe they could've learned something from Tesla or Rivian's approach? 
The idea of having advanced hands-free driving capabilities for vehicles within reach of ordinary people is still pretty cool tho! 
I think its cool that Ford is putting in so much effort into making their AI-powered voice assistant tech more accessible & affordable for everyone, not just high-end car buyers 
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. Can't we just have some basic human interaction in our cars? Like, can you ask Siri or Alexa to play some decent music for a change instead of just giving you a list of mulch capacity calculations 
it's gonna make road trips so much easier, like having your own personal sidekick in the car 
and with autonomous driving on the horizon, it's gonna be a whole new level of safety and convenience 
and i love how ford is keeping its design in-house to save costs and maintain control 
the autonomous driving features sound so promising too - 30% lower cost than current hands-free systems? that's a big win 
can't wait to see these techs come together in 2027! 
. The fact that Ford's doing most of this development in-house is a solid move too – it shows they're invested in making these techs accessible and affordable for regular folks like us 
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. It's a smart move, especially when you consider that some companies are already making waves with their autonomous driving features.