Self-driving cars are not part of Ferrari’s plans. That’s according to Benedetto Vigna, the current Ferrari CEO. At the recently concluded Financial Times Future of the Car Summit, Vigna was asked how Ferrari hoped to meet its software needs for its growing lineup of electrically assisted supercars.

‘In a cabin, there are four kinds of software,’ Vigna said, according to Insider. ‘There is performance software, there is comfort software, there is infotainment software, and there is autonomous. The last one, we don’t care.’

You can almost see the disdain dripping from the last statement. It’s not the first time the Ferrari CEO has taken this stance as far as self-driving technology is concerned. In 2022, he expressed a similar sentiment while speaking to Bloomberg at the carmaker’s electrification strategy presentation.
‘No customer is going to spend money for the computer in the car to enjoy the drive.’
To be fair, the automotive titan does have a point. Supercars are designed to deliver maximum thrills with a human being at the wheel, constantly pushing to find the limits of the car’s power and handling. How do you experience the wild rush and adrenaline highs of a performance machine if it’s being controlled by a cold, soulless computer system?
So, why, then, are we skeptical about the Ferrari CEO’s remarks?
First, Ferrari has been in a similar position before. Back in 2016, the carmaker’s Product Marketing Head, Nicola Boari, declared that Ferrari fully intended to remain ‘100-percent a sports car company’ with no plans for a four-door or an SUV, unlike some of its rivals. Well, we all know how that turned out. Ferrari now counts a four-door Purosangue SUV (or FUV, Ferrari Utility Vehicle, according to the carmaker) as part of its current inventory.

They held out for as long as they could, but it was impossible to ignore a market segment that rivals were exploiting in a big way. Just look at how well the Lamborghini Urus is performing, with well over 20,000 units sold in less than six years.
Then, there is the issue of market dynamics and trends in the automobile industry. There is truth in Ferrar’s claim that it’s all about its sports cars and ‘edge-of-your-seat’ performance. However, it is also a public commercial enterprise, answerable to investors.

Autonomous driving is currently one of the biggest trends in the automobile industry. Picture this – there is a major breakthrough in the near future. Suddenly, it triggers a shift in consumer tastes, and there is an opportunity to make a financial fortune. What’s to stop Ferrari from bowing to investor demands that it rethinks its position and consider the introduction of self-driving technology into its cars? After all, Ferrari did make an about-turn to build the Purosangue.
So, Ferrari’s claim that it would never build a self-driving vehicle does seem a bit short-sighted. Now, we may be wrong, but here’s what we believe could happen in future. Ferrari creates a new model line, separate from its hard-core performance supercars. This model line would hold GT-like cars (Grand Touring cars) that include autonomous capabilities in addition to the more traditional driving setups. That way, the carmaker can continue to cater to the purists while demonstrating its ability to adapt to changes within the industry.
It’s a wild thought, no doubt, but certainly no less extreme than Ferrari’s hard-line position about autonomous driving.
So? Over to you, Ferrari.