Ford launching a huge robo-taxi service in 2021 at half the price of UBER

Ford will launch a robo-taxi service with thousands of self-driving cars in 2021. Ford’s driverless rides could be less than half the price of today’s ride-share journeys (UBER, Lyft). They want a large share of an estimated $330 billion autonomous vehicle business in 2026.

Waymo, the Google self-driving car division, has promised a commercial self-driving taxi service by the end of 2018. GM will launch commercial self-driving cars in 2019.

Ford is building fleet management software, dispatch, routing, and payment systems; a diverse group of delivery customers; and digital content and services for passengers.

Ford wants to get to tens of thousands of self-driving cars.

In Miami, Ford offered the first public rides in cars powered by Argo AI. Argo AI was a startup founded in 2017 by veterans of Google’s and Uber’s self-driving programs. In 2017, Ford invested $1 billion into Argo. Ford has been testing Argo’s autonomous vehicles for delivery in Miami and elsewhere. They have made over 1,000 deliveries of Domino’s pizzas and Postmates packages with safety drivers behind the wheel. This week, Ford announced a similar partnership with Walmart.

12 thoughts on “Ford launching a huge robo-taxi service in 2021 at half the price of UBER”

  1. Why own a car anymore will be a question for a lot of people. We are in a small town. 3 miles is as far as we can go till were out of it. Drive to work 1 mile. Other than that most trips less than that. Where will people put their money when it doesn’t go to some expensive machine sitting 23 1/2 hours a day

  2. Why? So they can have a car that drives 2/5ths as much in a day and makes 2/5ths as much money?

    Miles driven = revenue.

    Now i’m sure that they will make an electric car and maybe even offer it but make no mistake they are going to offer ICE powertrains because they cost less to make (for the time being), they can drive more in a day (more money made), and they refuel faster than any electric car.

  3. But how can this be? None of these cars are electric. I was told that only electric cars would be used in self driving taxi fleets.

    Ford can use its cars at cost giving it an advantage.
    Ford’s self driving fleet will be gas powered so they can drive for 400-500 miles between quick refueling.
    Ford can maintain their fleet at their dealerships.

    Biggest loser: Google who who will probably need to buy Chrysler to compete with Ford/GM.

  4. Please provide the direct link with the slashes replaced by spaces so #%$#^#$^$# Vuukle won’t censor it.
    My Google Fu isn’t up to finding that information.

  5. But how can this be? None of these cars are electric. I was told that only electric cars would be used in self driving taxi fleets.

    Ford can use its cars at cost giving it an advantage.
    Ford’s self driving fleet will be gas powered so they can drive for 400-500 miles between quick refueling.
    Ford can maintain their fleet at their dealerships.

    Biggest loser: Google who who will probably need to buy Chrysler to compete with Ford/GM.

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