Ford is almost ready to take its eyes off of the road. No, this isn't a crack about its 153 NHTSA safety recalls last year. The Blue Oval has some big news about brand-new tech. The company says it will offer full Level 3 autonomous driving – both hands and eyes-off – in 2028. Before that, Ford will offer a new BlueCruise system in 2027.
The announcement comes at CES 2026, where the biggest tech news of the year happens. Because it's CES, one of those announcements is a new integrated AI assistant. The other is a new brain, similar to BMW's heart of joy, for Ford's own EVs.
Eyes-Off Is A Big Deal
Level 3 autonomous driving is significant. That's the point where drivers don't need to pay attention in most situations. When General Motors first announced it would be bringing L3 to market (also in 2028), it showed a driver watching TV. For the lawyers to let them do that, it means the company has serious confidence.
Ford's BlueCruise system, which it has already installed in more than 1.2 million vehicles, is Level 2. Hands-off, but you need to be watching the road because it could make you take over at any time. Level 3 is a massive upgrade in capability.
GM is launching the tech with Cadillac. Ford is launching it with, well, Ford. "Making the ultimate in vehicle experience available for the many, not just a privileged few," is how Ford Chief EV, Digital, and Design Officer Doug Field describes it.
Field says because Ford owns its own tech, it can deliver more for less. In this case, it's 30% less than buying the tech. When Ford's new affordable EV platform arrives, it will be the first with a new generation of BlueCruise hardware and software. That should happen in 2027, with Level 3 coming the following year.
It might take longer to make it to gas vehicles, though. Field says that it is made possible by a new "vehicle brain." It's a single computer that handles infotainment, driver assists, audio, and networking instead of multiple systems. To be more specific, it's a new brain that is meant for Ford's next-gen EVs. No timeline was given for gas models.
New Single Brain Means More Capability And Lower Costs
Ford promises this will give it higher performance at a lower cost and at half the size. Expect more over-the-air updates, too.
The new computer will also bring with it a new Ford AI assistant. Ford President of Integrated Services Mike Aragon spoke about it, claiming other automaker systems were limited to basic tasks and not vehicle-specific. Ford's solution, he explained, is one that "truly understands your specific vehicle, anticipates your needs, and becomes an intelligent thread woven throughout your Ford experience."
What would that look like? "Imagine you’re at the lumberyard staring at a stack of firewood – cords, half-cords, bundles – ready to load up," Aragon said. "Instead of guessing or using a tape measure, you snap a photo on your phone and ask: 'How much of this will fit in my truck bed?'"
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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
