Ford’s new Active Drive Assist looks to take on Tesla’s autopilot features

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Self-driving technology is all the rage right now, with companies worldwide looking at ways to make the driving experience more hands-free. Now, Ford has announced an update to its Co-Pilot360 program that looks to assist drivers on major highways around the US and Canada.

Called Active Drive Assist, the new feature “allows for hands-free driving on more than 100,000 miles of divided highways in all 50 states and Canada,” according to the press release from Ford. Tesla offers similar features with its autopilot feature, as does GM and its Super Cruise mode. Currently, Ford is expected to release this feature to compatible cars in 2021.

This new feature is part of the Co-Pilot360 package available on cars like the electric Mustang Mach-E. Drivers that want this new feature will be able to update their current Co-Pilot360 package to include the functionality, and in the future, new purchases will include the update baked-in. Other features already included with the package are things like Active Park Assist and Park Out Assist, which help drivers in and out of tight parking spaces.

Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product development and purchasing officer notes that, “By introducing driver-assist technologies like Active Drive Assist, Ford’s version of hands-free driving, we’re allowing our customers to feel more confident whenever they’re behind the wheel.”

What do you think? Do autopilot features like this make you more likely to look at Ford for your next vehicle purchase? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Josiah Motley

Former KnowTechie editor.