In August, people in northern Virginia started buzzing about a driverless Ford Transit Connect van that was seen driving throughout the area; the vehicle drew so much notice, in fact, that local news media were on the chase to track it down. In all actuality, the vehicle was not really driving in full self-driving mode; the driver was wearing a disguise so that he appeared to look like a car seat.
MYSTERY SOLVED! Spoiler: It was us. Here’s why: https://t.co/jsWBBZokKG#CityofTomorrow https://t.co/WIJM8WXmdx
— Ford Motor Company (@Ford) September 13, 2017
This was all part of a month-long real-world study that was conducted by Ford and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute with the purpose of identifying ways that autonomous vehicles can communicate with people to indicate such things as intent to yield, begin moving and more. Researchers established that that the best method was by using lighting signals that clearly indicate the vehicle's various intentions.
Researchers will use data that was captured during the month to gain a richer understanding of how pedestrians and road users modify their behaviors when they come across self-driving vehicles and the signals they employ.
At Max Ford of Butler, we're looking forward to enjoying the future of Ford vehicles. To check out our current inventory of vehicles, visit our showroom at 1108 West Fort Scott Street in Butler.
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