How self-drive cars will transport us into the future

Technology is key to capturing the next generation of motorists, and Ford showed its hand by applying for 8,000 patents in 2016. Stephen Rogers finds out about its blueprint for the future.

“Our long-term vision for Ford is not just about selling more cars — that is still very important. But our overall long-term vision is also about making people’s lives better by changing the way the world moves, just as our founder Henry Ford did more than 100 years ago.”

A sceptic might say that statement from Ford’s global president and chief executive Mark Fields at a press event in Germany in recent weeks sounds like a typical PR line when a manufacturer brings out a new car.