Ford and Postmates to Partner on Self-driving Car Deliveries

In perhaps a direct assault on Uber and even Lyft, Ford Motors has announced that it will partner with delivery service Postman to transport people, food and even packages by using self-driving cars.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Ford’s head of autonomous and electric vehicle development, Jim Farley, president of global markets, and Sherif Marakby, Ford’s head of autonomous and electric vehicle development told Reuters in an interview. “We’re testing the business model” for goods delivery, Farley said. Initially, Ford plans to use vehicles with human drivers to test how to run services that would eventually use automated vehicles.

Ford will expand delivery partners beyond Dominos Pizza and San Francisco-based Postmates, Farley said.

The automaker reportedly thinks small businesses present strong opportunity. Ford currently has a partnership with ride-sharing company, Lyft.

Farley outlined the company’s approach for self-driving vehicles to pick up and deliver packages from multiple businesses on a single trip. “The key for making profit,” Farley said, “is keeping the cars moving.”

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