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After cutting ties with Argo AI last fall, Ford has decided to set up an in-house self-driving technology division.
Called Latitude AI, the division with 550 staff will initially focus on developing hands-free driver assistance systems for Ford vehicles, similar to systems launched by other automakers, such as Drive Pilot from Mercedes-Benz and Ride Pilot from Volvo. . Instead, Argo AI is developing fully automated propulsion systems for use in commercial services, such as robotaxi fleets.
Ford’s current Bluecruise automated driver assistance system, and related Lincoln Activeglide systems, still require the driver to monitor the road at all times. As a result, it only ranks at Level 2 on the SAE self-driving technology scale. The Level 3 system is the first level where the driver can take his eyes off the road, and this is what AI Latitude developed.
Ford co-owns Argo AI with the Volkswagen Group, and most of the facilities and staff at Latitude AI formerly belonged to Argo AI, Ford said. Latitude AI’s headquarters are also in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Argo AI is headquartered. The new company has additional engineering centers in Michigan and California. The company will also operate a test track simulating highway driving in South Carolina.
Heading Latitude AI is Sammy Omari, who is also head of automated driver-assist technology at Ford and previously head of engineering at Hyundai Motor Group-backed self-driving technology company Motional. Peter Carr, former senior engineer at Argo AI, serves as chief technology officer at Latitude AI.
After cutting its ties with Argo AI, the VW Group has continued to develop self-driving technology in Caiard’s internal software division. The automaker also plans to announce a new partner for its planned robotaxi service to launch in 2025, a service previously developed with Argo AI.
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