Ford is developing an AI assistant that will first launch in the company’s smartphone app and later expand to its vehicles in 2027, as announced at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show. Additionally, Ford previewed an upgraded version of its BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system, which promises to be both more affordable to produce and more capable, with plans for fully autonomous driving by 2028.
Ford’s announcement stood out at CES, where major automakers’ presence has diminished in recent years. Rather than a grand keynote, the company shared the news during a session titled “Great Minds,” aimed at exploring the intersection of technology and humanity.
Ford’s digital assistant will be hosted on Google Cloud and built using readily available large language models (LLMs). The assistant will have access to detailed vehicle-specific data, allowing it to answer broad questions like, “How many bags of mulch can my truck bed hold?” as well as provide more specific, real-time information like oil life.
Ford plans to launch the assistant in its updated Ford app in early 2026, with full in-vehicle integration set for 2027. However, the company has not specified which vehicle models will receive priority.
Although Ford did not elaborate much on the in-car experience, it’s easy to envision its potential when comparing it to the tech-forward approaches taken by other automakers.
Last month, Rivian demonstrated its own digital assistant, which can send and receive text messages, handle complex navigation tasks, and adjust climate controls. Tesla has also integrated Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok into its vehicles, allowing customers to generate real-time sightseeing tours. While some of these features may surpass Ford’s plans, the automaker has a full year to refine its in-car integration.
Ford’s new BlueCruise system, which was teased on Wednesday, will be 30% more affordable to produce than the current version. It is set to launch in 2027 on the first EV built using Ford’s low-cost “Universal Electric Vehicle” platform, which is expected to be a mid-sized pickup.
Ford promises additional features with its next-gen BlueCruise system, including eyes-off driving by 2028. The system will also support “point-to-point autonomy,” similar to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. Rivian has teased its own point-to-point system set to launch later this year. However, all of these systems still require drivers to be ready to take control at any moment.
Ford’s upcoming AI assistant and next-gen BlueCruise system showcase the automaker’s commitment to enhancing the driving experience with advanced technology. While competitors like Rivian and Tesla push the boundaries of in-car AI, Ford has a full year to fine-tune its features and provide a compelling offering for its customers.