There is a car race going on right now that you may not be aware of: Several companies are attempting to develop vehicles that drive themselves. And you may be surprised who is involved. Companies like Uber, General Motors, Mercedes, and even Google are all vying for the perfect autonomous car.49 Ford, however, is committed to being first and to having a fleet of these driverless cars by 2021. Ford has already built a major research facility in the heart of Silicon Valley—an area more known for software and Internet businesses than automobiles. But Ford’s commitment goes beyond just a building; it is also spending over $1 billion in research and development. According to Mark Fields, president and CEO of Ford, “The next decade will be defined by automation of the automobile, and we see autonomous vehicles as having as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago.

1. How is Ford being innovative in its search for autonomous vehicles? Explain.

2. Discuss how creativity and innovation are linked at Ford.

3. If you were Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, what other innovations would you seek for the automobile industry in the next 20 years?