Ford To Start Driverless Car Testing In Europe

Ford is learned to be testing its driverless cars in Europe by 2017 starting at its UK-based Engineering Center in Essex.

The auto giant will also implement the testing of self-driving cars at its Research and Advanced Engineering facilities in Aachen and Cologne in Germany.

List of more sites where the testing will be done is to be announced soon.

Thomas Lukaszewicz manager for Automated Driving for Ford of Europe said it is important the company is extending their testing to Europe.

He added the road rules vary in different countries like road layouts, traffic signs and drivers likely to share congested roads with cyclists.

Ford is focused in building a driverless car to the SAE Level 4 standard of automation which means there will be no steering wheel or peddles too. Testing has already begun in the United States.

The Ford cars will be used in urban areas only as of now and in geofenced regions to supplement public transportation.

Meanwhile, Ford as well as other auto giants including BMW Group and Volkswagen Group have announced to be building up a high-power charging network along major highways in Europe.

The companies said about 400 “ultra-fast” charging sites will be facilitating such cars.