Ford CEO Jim Hackett Bridges the Divide Between Hype and Concern Over Self-Driving Cars

Ford's new CEO's comment about the future of autonomous cars is a breath of fresh air https://t.co/fhGgF1qFWi pic.twitter.com/QhBWS8at3A

— Jalopnik (@Jalopnik) August 19, 2017

Last month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shared a story about the growing concern over autonomous vehicles that was happening behind the scenes among suppliers. While many, including average American drivers, feel worried about where the future of self-driving cars is going, automakers have been laying full throttle on the hype, promising a world where most people don't need to own a car—simply use your smartphone to have a self-driving taxi take you anywhere you need to go.

Ford's new CEO, Jim Hackett, is bridging the divide with forthright honesty.

"We don't know that autonomous vehicle intelligence in the future will all be delegated to a service that no one owns but everyone uses," he admits in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle. Hackett suggests that instead, people may continue to own cars in the traditional sense, and self-driving features will simply enhance safety—like the Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection system available for the 2017 Ford Fusion.

On the other hand, when asked about the driverless taxi service Ford plans to launch in 2021, Hackett stands firm, "The answer is, we are going to be in the market with products in that time frame."