Hitting the Road With BlueCruise, Ford's Hands-Free Highway Helper
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While the headline features of v1.2 are useful, the system in general feels more stable and predictable than when I first tried it. For a start, there were none of the unexpected moments where BlueCruise decided it simply couldn't handle an otherwise-regular corner and threw control back to me in short order. Back when I first tried BlueCruise — in the guise of its Lincoln ActiveGlide version, on the 2022 Navigator — I was generally hopeful, if a little underwhelmed in places. Ford's system arrived when GM's Super Cruise had already seen a number of updates, not least the two headline talents in this version 1.2.
Ford BlueCruise Verdict
But first things first, let's cover what BlueCruise is and what it is not. This technology is a hands-free driving aid that only works on approved, divided highways, so-called Blue Zones, which there are about 130,000 miles of in North America. The system can accelerate, steer and stop the vehicle as traffic and road conditions dictate.
Ford BlueCruise v1.2 Review: Hands-Off Highway Driving Gains Some Impressive New Skills
On the plus side, even if you're adjacent to said truck when you hit the turn signal, BlueCruise will generally wait for a gap to clear rather than instantly canceling the move. BlueCruise's driver-facing interface is clean and makes good use of the Mustang Mach-E's relatively small cluster display. Engage the system, and a large steering wheel graphic appears; big text confirming you're in "Hands Free" mode underneath makes understanding whether you should be touching the wheel or not straightforward. Ford's graphics show whether there's a car ahead, though you don't get the birds-eye view of traffic that, say, Tesla's Autopilot UI includes. With version 1.2, which debuts first on the 2023 Mustang Mach-E and will arrive on the Lincoln Corsair shortly, BlueCruise gains two significant talents. The first is Lane Change Assist, which allows BlueCruise to move the car between lanes with a tap of the indicator stalk.
Ford BlueCruise Makes Hands-Free Driving Easy
While hands-free Level 2 systems remain controversial, not least because of the potential for drivers to overestimate just how capable (and autonomous) they really are, I'm still a fan overall. BlueCruise feels far more mature and stable than when it did when I first tested the technology. That's not to say it's perfect — and, given all of these systems are Level 2 despite being hands-off, there's no claim that you can stop paying attention — and highway lane shifts can still cause some fumbles. The change from two to three lanes, for example (or vice-versa), can cause BlueCruise issues at times, though the system is swift to resume once you're back to more predictable roads. That, for example, could already change lanes for you without the system deactivating; these days, it can automatically do so if you find yourself stuck behind slower traffic.
After that, a separate subscription fee will be required, though Ford has not released any details about what this entails. When engaged, you cannot take a nap, play Wordle, organize your collection of superhero action figures, anything like that. There's a surprisingly sensitive driver-monitoring camera system that makes sure you're looking ahead and paying attention because you have to intervene if the system needs it. While Ford has been working, its rivals haven't stood still, of course.
A little more breathing room in the lane
The second is Lane Repositioning, intended to build confidence in the system when you're surrounded by other — often larger — vehicles. The system steers smoothly and has no trouble with surrounding traffic. The Ford system tends to make more small steering wheel corrections and can ping-pong slightly between lane markers when going through tighter corners. Despite these minor issues, the system is confidence-inspiring and makes long highway drives much more relaxing. This options group is priced at $1,995, though BlueCruise -- and just about everything else -- is standard on the range-topping F-150 Limited.
Automated Lane Changing makes life much easier
If it's raining or snowing heavily, the system will have issues. BlueCruise may also be averse to orange barrels, that is, the system could have trouble in construction zones. And finally, it will disengage if you drive out of a Blue Zone.
Ford BlueCruise Expands Flexibility with Complimentary Trial, Monthly or Annual Offers for Hands-Free Driving Tech - Ford
Ford BlueCruise Expands Flexibility with Complimentary Trial, Monthly or Annual Offers for Hands-Free Driving Tech.
Posted: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
This advanced driver aid operates on some 130,000 miles of approved roadway in North America and, for the most part, it works well. Despite all the hype around autonomous driving, the reality is that we're still a long way from cars that can operate themselves completely. Trust the tech too enthusiastically, and you're going to get burned. As before, BlueCruise relies on a camera to make sure you're paying attention to the road. It's mounted just above the steering column, and — while you can't see them — there are infrared lights in there to allow the system to keep working even at night. It'll play nicely if you're wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses, too.
Again, don't try to send an email while driving or look up sports scores. BlueCruise will know what you're trying to do and the system will not like it. From behind the wheel of a 2023 Mustang Mach-E Select, though, I'd say it's worth the wait.
That, plus a number of unexpected deactivations in highway corners, left me expectant that Ford would refine the experience using over-the-air (OTA) updates. Currently, BlueCruise is available on the Mustang Mach-E, the F-150, the F-150 Lightning, and the Ford Expedition. That's not the full extent of Ford and Lincoln's line-ups, true, but it's a strong cross-section of them.
Advanced Level 2 systems like Ford BlueCruise can't take responsibility away from the person behind the wheel, but they can let them take their hands off that control. Ford's other tweaks in BlueCruise v1.2 include Predictive Speed Assist, which promises to change the speed setting ahead of places where human drivers might typically slow down. That might be as you enter a curve, for example, or as the speed limit on a stretch of highway changes. Ford basically built a version of General Motors' groundbreaking Super Cruise, which launched in the Cadillac CT6 sedan and has been out for about five years. The functionality of these two systems is almost the same, though GM's Enhanced Super Cruise does have two significant advantages.
We've seen hands-free highway assist systems arrive on cars from Nissan, for example. The all-electric Ariya can do the same lane- and speed-holding as BlueCruise, though currently lane maneuvers are completed manually. Tap the turn signal — you don't have to press it all the way, and if you do, it won't auto-cancel once the lane change maneuver is complete — and a "Preparing lane change" message appears.
In simple terms, think of this as a hands-free version of adaptive cruise control with lane centering. Nonetheless, highway driving is a chore, and I undoubtedly feel more comfortable at the end of it with a system like BlueCruise to support me. The challenge — as with most advanced driver assistance — is ensuring attention without nagging so aggressively that it's not worth having the tech turned on. Once you're on an approved divided highway, BlueCruise is a snap to engage. It starts in adaptive mode with lane centering, something that's indicated within the meter cluster by an icon of a steering wheel with hands on it. After the system finds its bearings, BlueCruise usually engages a few seconds later, with a large steering wheel icon emblazoned with "Hands-Free" taking up a sizable chunk of the digital gauges.
With all those numbers and options packages out of the way, is BlueCruise worth it? This hands-free helper got us to our destination and back again safely with few interruptions. The system is mostly smooth and exceedingly easy to use, and it should get even better with future updates. This system's driver-monitoring cameras are surprisingly sensitive. If you pick up a bottle of water or cup of coffee to take a swig, you'd better be quick, because the system will start beeping at you if your face is blocked for more than just a couple seconds.
This is nice because everything is clearly illustrated -- there's no ambiguity as to whether you need to steer or not. The clean iconography is also helpful for folks with color-blindness. BlueCruise is Ford's latest and greatest advanced driver-assistance feature. This technology, which is available on select vehicles, enables hands-free motoring on certain sections of divided highway. I put this Super Cruise imitator to the test on a nearly 700-mile round-trip drive to Northern Michigan and the results are positive -- with a couple caveats, of course. There are no fully-autonomous cars on sale today, but that's not to say you're completely on your own when it comes to driver assistance on a road trip.
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