Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Ford Motor's new automated driving technology subsidiary will have a team of about 550 former Argo AI professionals across cloud platforms, test operations, mapping, sensors and compute systems, machine learning and robotics, and systems and safety engineering
Ford Motor establishes an automated driving technology subsidiary dubbed Latitude AI. (Credit: The Ford Motor Company)
US-based automotive manufacturer Ford Motor has announced the launch of an automated driving technology subsidiary dubbed Latitude AI.
The newly formed wholly owned subsidiary will emphasise on developing a hands-free, eyes-off-the-road autonomous driving system for millions of vehicles, said Ford Motor.
Latitude AI is expected to support the strategic shift announced by the American car maker last year about focusing on automated driving technologies for personally owned vehicles.
The new self-driving technology company will have a team of about 550 former Argo AI professionals across cloud platforms, test operations, mapping, sensors and compute systems, machine learning and robotics, and systems and safety engineering.
Argo AI was a self-driving products and services platform company backed by Ford Motor and Volkswagen. The company was shut down in late 2022.
Latitude AI is expected to expand Ford Motor’s development initiatives in self-driving technology. These include advancements in Ford BlueCruise by adding an expertise team of software, sensors, machine learning, robotics, systems engineering and operations.
Ford Motor chief advanced product development and technology officer Doug Field said: “We see automated driving technology as an opportunity to redefine the relationship between people and their vehicles. Customers using BlueCruise are already experiencing the benefits of hands-off driving.
“The deep experience and talent in our Latitude team will help us accelerate the development of all-new automated driving technology – with the goal of not only making travel safer, less stressful and more enjoyable, but ultimately over time giving our customers some of their day back.”
Ford Motor’s new automated driving technology subsidiary is headquartered in Pittsburgh. The firm’s additional engineering hubs are located in Dearborn, Michigan. and Palo Alto, California.
Latitude AI will also operate a highway-speed test track facility in Greenville, South Carolina.