Ford Motor Co. wants the world to know the company is on the brink of letting drivers take their eyes off the road. The Detroit automaker used the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week to spotlight advanced new technology that could profoundly change the daily experience of driving. The idea is not just hands-free highway cruising like we know it.
Ford is talking about Level 3 autonomous driving, where on certain highways the driver no longer has to steer or watch the road in order for the car to operate safely. Sadly, we won’t have this feature for a long while. Ford will be rolling it out by 2028 on some of its new electric vehicles.
For millions of drivers who have tried Ford’s existing BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system, eyes off the road is the next big step. Right now, BlueCruise lets you take your hands off the wheel on approved highways in the U.S. and Canada, but drivers must keep their eyes on the road at all times. It’s the same story with Tesla’s bleeding-edge FSD (full self-driving) technology. Ford’s upgraded tech will let the vehicle handle both steering and monitoring the road in specific conditions.
Your $30,000 Ticket to “Eyes-Free” Driving
What does that mean in real life? Imagine a long interstate drive that doesn’t feel like work. You could glance at your phone, check a message, or just give your eyes a break as the car monitors traffic, lanes, and other hazards. That could be especially welcome on long road trips or during daily commutes that eat up hours each week. Of course, not everyone is a fan.
They say, what’s the point of driving if you’re not actually driving? They even say, go get a plane ticket if you want “driverless” travel experience, and while they’re still gripping about hands-free, Ford says “eyes-free” is on the horizon.
The first vehicle to get this upgrade will be a $30,000 electric pickup truck built on a new platform Ford calls the Universal Electric Vehicle. That truck is scheduled to launch in 2027, with the Level 3 driver assistance package offered as an optional extra.
Ford executives say they want this kind of automation to be more affordable. A Ford executive muted that autonomy should not be a privilege reserved for high-end luxury cars. “Because we own the technology behind our driver assistance systems, we can deliver significantly more capability at a 30% lower cost than if we bought it from outside suppliers, which makes advanced driver assistance scalable,” Ford explained at CES.
By building much of the system in-house and integrating sensors and other technologies themselves, Ford hopes to cut costs and speed up development.
Ford’s New Autonomy Playbook
But there’s more on the horizon than just letting you relax while driving on the highway. Ford is also openly hinting that it could someday enter the robotaxi business. Those are fully driverless vehicles that shuttle people around cities without anyone behind the wheel. While the company isn’t releasing firm dates or plans for a taxi fleet, executives say the 2028 eyes-off technology could be an important foundation for that ambition.
That is a significant shift for a company that in recent years scaled back some of its earlier autonomy projects and wound down its Argo AI self-driving venture. Rather than chasing full Level 4 or Level 5 autonomy immediately, Ford is now emphasizing a practical, incremental approach that first gives drivers real benefits on highways and then builds broader capabilities from there.
Alongside driving automation, Ford is rolling out a new in-car AI assistant that promises to make its vehicles feel smarter and more responsive. Initially available through the Ford and Lincoln mobile apps this year, the assistant will eventually live inside the vehicle itself. It can answer questions about vehicle status, help with planning trips, and control functions like climate or navigation by voice. Ford describes it as a personal companion that knows your vehicle’s specifics and adapts to your driving habits.
This is also Ford’s response to similar moves from rivals. Many competitors are beefing up AI and autonomy offerings. Some tech startups and other automakers are already testing robotaxis or expanding hands-free driving zones. In fact, autonomy was the golden goose at CES 2026. Ride-hailing companies and luxury brands are pushing the boundaries, and Ford doesn’t want to be left in the dust.
What’s in It for You
For us drivers, here’s what matters most right now. Over the next couple of years, we’ll see:
- Better hands-free driving that doesn’t require you to stare at the road. That’s coming by 2028 on select models.
- New electric vehicles that pack this tech into more affordable price points.
- AI-powered assistants that make controlling your vehicle easier.
- Talk in the industry about robotaxi services that could one day take driving out of the hands of people altogether.
For that last bit, we hear Waymo’s boss said robotaxis won’t ever replace human drivers, which makes sense considering the cost—approximately $300k per robotaxi.
For now, this remains technology that works in defined conditions like well-marked highways and fair weather. Drivers will still need to be ready to take control when lanes get twisty or traffic gets chaotic. But getting your eyes off the road without worrying about safety could be closer than you think, and that is a milestone both for daily drivers and for the future of mobility.