Ford Motor Co. (F) is jumping into the autonomous driving race with technology that could let drivers actually take their eyes off the road. Think Tesla Inc. (TSLA) Full Self-Driving, or General Motors Co. (GM) Super Cruise, but from the company that brought you the Model T.

The 2028 Vision

Ford announced Wednesday that it's working on "L3 eyes-off driving" technology that will debut in 2028 through the company's Universal EV Platform. That's the same platform that will underpin Ford's upcoming $30,000 electric vehicle, which suggests the automaker is trying to democratize advanced driver assistance rather than making it a luxury feature.

Here's the interesting part: Ford says developing the autonomous technology in-house will make it more affordable for customers. The company is leveraging its AI assistant, which is already available on Ford and Lincoln apps, to analyze pictures and "Ford-specific data" tailored to "real-world needs."

The rollout timeline is ambitious. Ford's AI assistant will reach up to 8 million customers starting in early 2026, with a native in-vehicle experience launching in 2027. The company is also building what it calls a "vehicle brain," essentially a central chip that unifies infotainment, advanced driver assistance systems, audio, and networking into one powerful module. If you've ever been frustrated by car tech that feels like it was designed by five different companies who never talked to each other, this should sound appealing.

The EV Strategy Whiplash

Ford's autonomous driving ambitions come at an awkward moment for its electric vehicle strategy. Last year, two of the automaker's EVs performed well in the U.S. market. The Mustang Mach-E moved 51,620 units, while the F-150 Lightning EV Pickup Truck sold 27,307 units.

But then came the pivot. Ford recently scrapped production of the F-150 Lightning, citing profitability concerns as EV demand cooled in the U.S. The company will focus instead on the F-150 EREV. And in a move that captures just how dramatically the auto industry's calculus has shifted, Ford announced it has taken a $19.5 billion charge as it pivots to hybrids globally while concentrating on low-cost EVs for the U.S. market through its Universal EV Platform.

So while Ford is pulling back on some EV efforts, it's simultaneously betting big on that Universal EV Platform as the future for affordable American electric vehicles with cutting-edge autonomous features.

The Nvidia Connection

Ford's self-driving announcement comes as chipmaker Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) unveiled its new Alpamayo technology at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026. The open-source model was called the "ChatGPT moment for physical AI" by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, signaling that the infrastructure for advanced autonomous systems is rapidly maturing across the industry.

Price Action: Ford shares gained 0.27% during Tuesday's after-hours trading, climbing to $13.78, according to market data.