We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more.

  1. Technology
  2. GPS

Ride Along On a Test Drive in a Self-Driving Ford Fusion

Published: Sep 13, 2016 1 min read

Despite a spate of recent problems, it seems all but inevitable that self-driving cars will soon be sharing the road with vehicles being operated by humans. In this video, USA Today ventures out to Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, to get a ride in a prototype of a fully autonomous Ford Fusion.

This model features next-generation sensors that utilize so-called LiDAR, or "laser radar," which purportedly do a better job than previous technologies at getting passengers where they need to go—safely.

Read More: Tesla Says Updated Autopilot Might Have Prevented Driver Death

The Ford Fusion you'll see in USA Today's test drive is equipped with a steering wheel and gas and brake pedals—but Ford says those features will no longer be necessary when fully autonomous Ford Fusions are ultimately released, which is expected to be in 2021.