Ford has thrown its hat into autonomous car ring with the debut of its Automated Fusion Hybrid Research Vehicle, the latest in a series of steps the automaker is taking to realize its grand vision of transportation in 2025.

The fleet of Fusions have been developed in conduction with the University of Michigan and State Farm, with the goal of testing the reliability and efficacy of the systems.

"With the automated Ford Fusion Hybrid research project, our goal is to test the limits of full automation and determine the appropriate levels for near- and mid-term deployment," says Ford's veep of global product development, Raj Nair.

Unlike similar efforts from Google, Volkswagen and General Motors, Ford is blending technologies that already exist in its production vehicles with new scanning and analysis systems.

Replacing the massive, spinning LIDAR units on current autonomous vehicles are four smaller scanners poking out of the roof like a quartet of antennae. Linked together, the LIDAR units compose a 360-degree, three-dimensional view of the surroundings, processing the information and allowing the vehicle to accelerate, brake, and steer without driver intervention.

But first, Ford is working on vehicle-to-vehicle communication that alerts drivers about congestion, accidents, and weather up ahead. After those systems are implemented, Ford expects adaptive cruise control, steering, and V2V systems to allow packs of cars to join a road train on highways, with the eventual goal of creating a highly automated – not "driverless" – car.

That last bit is something Ford stressed in its announcement, and the partnership with State Farm is an important one – the auto industry, legislators, and insurance companies will all have to be on the same page when autonomous vehicles eventually make it to the mainstream.

Tell us what you think of our new gallery.