Ford has announced the development of an AI assistant, which will first appear in the company's smartphone app before being integrated into its vehicles starting in 2027. This news was shared on Wednesday at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show. Alongside this, the automaker previewed a new version of its BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system, which is designed to be more affordable to produce and more advanced—paving the way for eyes-off driving by 2028.

Wednesday’s announcement stood out as one of the few from a major car manufacturer at CES, reflecting a notable shift from the late 2010s when such companies were a dominant presence at the event. Rather than being unveiled during a high-profile keynote, Ford discussed these updates in a speaker session titled “Great Minds,” intended to examine the connection between technology and human experience.

According to Ford, its digital assistant is powered by Google Cloud and utilizes existing large language models, with deep integration into vehicle-specific data. This enables the assistant to respond to broad queries, such as calculating how many bags of mulch a truck bed can hold, as well as provide detailed, real-time information like oil life status. The assistant will be introduced through the updated Ford app in early 2026, with a built-in, in-car version following in 2027. Ford has not yet specified which vehicle models will receive priority for this integration.

While Ford has not detailed the exact in-car user experience, potential features can be inferred from innovations by other technology-focused automakers. Recently, Rivian demonstrated its own digital assistant managing tasks like sending texts, processing complex navigation requests, and adjusting climate settings. Tesla has incorporated Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot into its vehicles, allowing drivers to generate spontaneous sightseeing itineraries. Although some of these functions may surpass what Ford initially plans, the company has a full year to refine its in-car implementation before the 2027 rollout.

The next-generation BlueCruise system previewed on Wednesday is reported to be 30% less expensive to manufacture than the current technology. It is scheduled to debut in 2027 on the first electric vehicle built on Ford’s cost-effective “Universal Electric Vehicle” platform, expected to be a mid-sized pickup. Ford promises enhanced capabilities with this new BlueCruise, including eyes-off driving in 2028. The system is also described as offering “point-to-point autonomy,” comparable to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. Rivian has similarly indicated it will introduce a point-to-point system later this year. All of these advanced systems require drivers to remain prepared to take control of the vehicle at any time.