This 1965 Ford Mustang is autonomous and has managed to complete the Goodwood course

Current technology is making many not-so-old vehicles obsolete, but there are some companies that aim to keep the most classic cars alive. Siemens and Cranfield University have joined forces to create the first autonomous Ford Mustang in history. However, neither entity turned to a current model or the special Bullitt edition that was present at the Goodwood Festival, but instead installed this kind of technology in a unit from 1965, that is, a true classic.

It is true that Robocar stole the spotlight by making a cleaner and more agile climb up Goodwood’s hill, but this autonomous Mustang also deserves credit. The first attempt was not very fruitful for this modernised muscle car, as it ended up crashing into the straw bales placed around the track. However, neither Siemens nor the Cranfield University team gave up.

The second attempt to successfully finish the journey to the finish line of the iconic English event allowed the 1965 Ford Mustang to fulfil its mission. Despite its gradual and measured pace, the American classic has managed to show the world that current technology can be applied to any type of vehicle, and that autonomous driving is closer than we imagine, although some details still need to be refined.

To make the presence of a human at the controls of this Ford Mustang unnecessary, both Siemens and the team from Cranfield University carried out a complete scan of the English circuit. At the same time, the muscle car has a series of sensors that allow it to measure and interact with the terrain it is on, but the engineers responsible for this project went further.

Thanks to the scanning of the Goodwood circuit, the Ford Mustang is able to determine where it should drive at all times. This kind of technology could be very beneficial in the future, since we would only have to enter a destination into our autonomous vehicle and it would, on its own, know perfectly the route it must take. This innovation would be backed by a series of sensors and GPS signals, which would refine the system and avoid huge errors.

In this way, the 1965 Ford Mustang has become one of the first classic vehicles to receive this kind of technology and the first to apply it on a circuit. For now it is a project in the testing phase, but it will not be long before we see various brands offering their customers the option of doing away entirely with being at the controls of our car.

Technical specifications of this car

CoupeFord Mustang6 versions · from 62,405 €