As vehicles evolve, driving is turning into more than simply moving from A to B. The integration of AI and automation is changing the automotive world with smarter, safer, and more personalized experiences. Riding this wave of innovation, Ford is stepping up its smart driving efforts, and this time combining AI with advanced automation.
TL;DR
- Ford is improving smart driving with AI and automation.
- A new AI assistant will launch in the app this year and in cars by 2027.
- BlueCruise will be cheaper, better, and let eyes-off driving on some highways by 2028.
- The AI uses Google Cloud’s large language models.
- Ford is joining Tesla, Rivian, and Mercedes in adding AI assistants to cars.
At CES 2026, the automaker shared plans for a new AI assistant and the next version of its BlueCruise hands-free driving technology, showing Ford’s biggest push yet into AI-driven vehicles.
The upcoming AI assistant will first appear in the Ford mobile app later this year and will reach vehicles in 2027. It is designed to give drivers a more natural and personalized experience. The assistant will understand context from car data and location to a driver’s habits and respond to voice commands in real time.
Instead of building its own AI model from scratch, Ford is partnering with Google Cloud and using large language models (LLM) to power the assistant.
Ford says the updated BlueCruise will debut on its next-generation mid-size electric pickup, built on a new platform launching in 2027. This will be a big step toward higher-level autonomous driving. Well, not full self-driving yet, but a big improvement over today’s technology.
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That’s not all Ford is showing. The company also teased a major upgrade to BlueCruise, its hands-free driving feature. The new version will cost about 30% less to make and much more capable, letting drivers take their eyes off the road on some highways by 2028.
By combining AI-powered assistance and advanced automation, Ford seems to be preparing for a new era of smart vehicles that not only drive for you but also understand you.
Ford’s approach follows a wider trend in the auto industry, where other carmakers like Tesla, Rivian, and Mercedes are doing, adding AI assistants to their vehicles.
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