Ford Self-Driving Vehicle Program Moves Forward With A Goal Of 100 Vehicles On Road By Year End

Following its announcement that it was investing $500 million in electric car maker Rivian, Ford (F) said its goal is to have 100 self-driving vehicles on the road by the end of the year.

The announcement by Ford was made during its earnings reports on Thursday. According to Marcy Klevorn, executive vice president and president of mobility at Ford, the efforts the company is making in autonomous vehicles were progressing in Miami and Washington, D.C.

The decision to test the autonomous vehicles in the two cities, according to Klevorn, was based around choosing a “really difficult setting to prove capability.” The company selected Miami and Washington, D.C. because of the seasonal weather changes in the cities and the more challenging urban environment they offer.

Ford also has plans in place to build a new factory in Michigan to help move its autonomous vehicle program forward at a faster clip, CNBC reported.

Ford said it will begin testing the self-driving vehicles in a third city later in the year.

Shares of Ford stock were down 1.96 percent as of 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday.