June 18, 2013
David Undercoffler

Just weeks after its chairman said the world of self-driving cars is closer than we think, Ford announced a program that uses an autonomous system for testing the durability of its cargo vans.

The program uses robots to drive Ford’s upcoming full-sized Transit van around a closed test course. Each van is fitted with a "robotic control module" that handles the steering, braking, and acceleration.
 

Source
Los Angeles Times