Autonomous technology is already creeping into trucks, and if these new photos of an F-150 prototype are to be believed, Ford is out testing a fully self-driving version of its half-ton.
Submitted by TFL reader Andrew Nicholas, it’s clear that some type of device is fitted to the roof of this F-150, looking like possibly a small LIDAR unit on the roof. While it’s tough to identify exactly what that small device is, our spy photographer managed to glimpse the driver’s seat, which had no one in it.
Nicholas says that he did not see a driver, only a passenger in the front seat, though the photos don’t confirm this (and thanks for not trying too hard to take that photo. Spy photos are great, but never endanger other drivers to take a picture!). Nicholas was following the F-150 on the highway and could see that no one was in the driver’s seat.
The photos were taken on a stretch of US60, a spot where Nicholas says he sees prototypes running tests all the time.
Today’s F-150 is available with plenty of semi-autonomous driving aids, such as adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, lane keep assist, forward collision detection and more. And seeing as Ford is focusing its future on SUVs and trucks, it makes sense that its best-selling product would be one of the first candidates to receive such technology.
There’s always the possibility that this could be a private company simply testing on an F-150 as well, though the Michigan license plates are consistent with what we usually see on prototypes.
So what do you think? Is this a self-driving F-150, and if it is, would you want one? Let us know below.
