Ford is set to offer a fully autonomous model by 2021, according to the company’s president.
Mark Fields, speaking at an event in California, explained Ford has significantly increased its investment in the technology and has a research centre dedicated to developing self-driving cars.
Ford already has a number of self-driving Mondeo Hybrids that are currently being tested on road across the US and the automaker is expected to increase the size of this fleet significantly.
Mr Fields said: “The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago.
"We’re dedicated to putting on the road an autonomous vehicle that can improve safety and solve social and environmental challenges for millions of people, not just those who can afford luxury vehicles."
Ford also confirmed it is likely the cars will be initially available under car-share systems similar to Uber rather than to individual motorists.