Ford Motor has entered into an agreement with Mobileye, an automotive technology subsidiary of Intel, to support its next generation of advanced driving and safety features across the automaker’s global product line.
The agreement includes Ford using Mobileye’s “EyeQ” camera-based sensing technologies for functions such as forward collision warning and vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection. They will also be used for Ford’s upcoming hands-free driving system.
Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed. The automaker will display Mobileye’s name on vehicle infotainment displays as part of the deal.
Mobileye is competing with a horde of rivals, from chipmaker Nvidia to Google’s Waymo unit and well-funded startups like Argo AI. And that’s not to mention the automakers with their own efforts, like Tesla, and the Big Tech players who haven’t shown their products yet, like Apple or Amazon (which bought the autonomous startup Zoox last month).
Intel shares gained 1% in midday trading Monday. Ford shares lost 3% as investors feared the auto industry would not recover quickly from the current pandemic-induced sales slowdown.
In Monday’s announcement, Ford said it would use Mobileye’s chips, sensors and software in its next generation of vehicles, including its best-selling F-150 pickup truck and its new electric SUV, the Mustang Mach-E. The partners did not release the financial terms of the deal, but said Ford cars will display the Mobileye name and logo on vehicles that include the technology.
Camera-based technology systems, such as those from Mobileye, are central to active safety features to avoid collisions, as are driver assistance systems such as Tesla’s autopilot and General Motors’ Super Cruise.
Ford announced last month its own hands-free driving system called Active Driver Assist. The F-150 and Mustang Mach-E will be among the first vehicles to have the technology in 2021. The Bronco will use Mobileye’s systems but will not offer the hands-free driving system at launch, according to Ford.
