Ferrari, one of the leading luxury car brands, have been focusing on conventional electric vehicles and shunning self-driving technology, its CEO Benedetto Vigna has said. At the Financial Times Future of the Car Summit, Ferrari boss Benedetto Vigna was asked if the push for luxury electric cars requires an external supplier of software capabilities. Vigna reiterated Ferrari’s intention of keeping the bulk of its production in-house, and stated that they have the necessary software intelligence to make electric vehicles (EVs).
Vigna not only pointed out that Ferrari has partnered with battery developers to meet its 2025 EV deadline but also highlighted the issue of autonomous technology and how Ferrari does not need it for their vehicle production. “The last one, we don’t care” he said, comparing the four kinds of software in the cabinet: performance software, comfort software, infotainment software, and autonomous.
Companies such as Ford and Tesla have been pushing the autonomous technology, while Ferrari has chosen to focus more on exclusivity and limit their production so that the cars remain exclusive. Speaking of the “soul of the car” during the summit, Vigna emphasized that Ferrari’s vision of EVs would be different from other carmakers.
Last June, Vigna had said that the company would never produce an autonomous vehicle after the release of their EV strategy. After AI engineers took a ride with the Ferrari test driver, Vigna said that the presentation about self-driving cars was useless for them.
Vigna was appointed Ferrari’s CEO in September 2021, and his comments have made it very clear that the company is determined to stick to its focus on producing luxury cars while at the same time making advances in the electric vehicle space.
