Ford used the stage at CES 2026 to make one of its most ambitious announcements yet: the automaker plans to introduce eyes-off Level 3 autonomous driving starting in 2028, marking a major step forward in Ford’s long-term commitment to hands-free mobility. The next-generation system will debut on vehicles built on Ford’s upcoming Universal EV platform, the same architecture set to launch with a new $30,000 electric pickup arriving in 2027.
While the company stopped short of sharing full technical details, Ford’s move signals a significant evolution beyond today’s driver-assist technologies. Currently, Ford offers its hands-free BlueCruise system on several models, but that technology still requires drivers to keep their eyes on the road and be ready to take over at any time. Level 3 capability would allow drivers to safely divert their attention under certain conditions—an advancement Ford believes is key to broad consumer adoption of autonomous tech.
More information about the Level 3 system, including its operating conditions, hardware suite, and rollout timeline, is expected as Ford gets closer to launching the Universal EV lineup.
