Ford to build driverless cars in Michigan

Ford is moving ahead with plans to invest in facilities to build driverless cars and electric vehicles in Michigan, the auto company announced Wednesday.

The company will invest $850 million in the plant in Flat Rock, Mich., as part of a $900 million plan for the southeast of the state. Ford expects to create as many as 900 jobs through 2023.

{mosads}“We’ve taken a fresh look at the growth rates of electrified vehicles and know we need to protect additional production capacity given our accelerated plans for fully electric vehicles,” Ford President of Global Operations Joe Hinrichs said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This is good news for the future of southeast Michigan, delivering more good-paying manufacturing jobs,” he added.

Some U.S. auto manufacturers are restructuring plans, shuttering facilities and moving workers to new plants as the types of vehicles Americans buy changes.

Last week, Ford said that it was cutting salaried jobs in the U.S. as part of a reorganization, but did not say how many workers would be affected.

Rival auto maker General Motors is at the center of a political firestorm over its Lordstown, Ohio, facility.

GM shut the plant but is in talks with the United Auto Workers over reopening it.

President Trump has pressured both the company and union to quickly revive the plant.

Updated at 3:00 p.m.