Nowadays, the most recent automobiles are designed with hands-free driving know-how to remain forward of the competitors. Every automobile with a self-driving function makes use of patented software program, relying on the producer. For occasion, Tesla’s autonomous know-how is named “Tesla Auto Pilot”, and GM’s self-driving automobiles depend on “Super Cruise” self-driving software program.

On the opposite hand, Ford’s hands-free driving know-how is trademarked as “Ford BlueCruise,”—nevertheless it’s distinctive in comparison with different self-driving software program by completely different producers. So, how does it work? Let’s discover out!

What Is Ford BlueCruise?

Ford BlueCruise is a stage 2 automation system utilized in Ford automobiles. It works equally to Tesla’s FSD by letting you drive your automobile with out placing your arms on the steering wheel.

More succinctly, it will possibly change lanes and routinely modify the pace of your automobile relying on the highway situation. In addition, it will possibly re-position your Ford automobile on the lane whereas interacting with site visitors and routinely brake in an emergency. To know extra about self-driving methods, you must try our explanation of the six levels of driving automation.

However, if you wish to use Ford’s BlueCruise, you may solely activate it on permitted roadways—in the mean time, it really works on about 130,000 miles in North America.

Which Vehicles Use Ford’s BlueCruise?

The Ford BlueCruise comes commonplace on Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach. However, should you’re driving a Lincoln, it is often called Lincoln ActiveGlide—though it is the identical software program, it is trademarked below a special identify. The Lincoln ActiveGlide is a regular function on the 2023 Lincoln Corsair and 2022 Lincoln Navigator.

What concerning the subscription? Ford Media Center says it ought to price you $600 for the BlueCruise software program. In addition, should you personal a Ford F-150 mannequin with Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0, it ought to include BlueCruise—however it’s going to price you an additional $1,595 to put in.

How Does Ford BlueCruise Work?

If you are on a divided freeway mapped out by Ford’s BlueCruise, you’ll discover a blue mild in your dashboard show—this allows you to know you may activate Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving.

To allow hands-free driving, you should navigate to options, choose Driver Assistance, and activate Lane Centering below the Cruise Control choice. You then must press the button in your steering wheel marked with an odometer and automobile image to have interaction and disengage Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving mode.

Once Ford BlueCruise is turned on, you should utilize the buttons on the steering wheel to fine-tune your pace and proximity to different automobiles. According to a Ford report, it is also doable to routinely change the lane utilizing BlueCruise by activating the flip sign.

Beyond that, should you discover a inexperienced mild on the dashboard, you should put your arms again on the steering wheel to take again management. However, you may nonetheless use Ford BlueCruise along with your arms on the steering wheel to routinely steer, brake, and speed up your automobile.

Does Ford BlueCruise Prevent Driver Distraction?

Since the Ford BlueCruise is a stage 2 automation system, drivers should preserve their eyes on the highway even when the hands-free driving mode is activated. Like with the reports of Teslas crashing even on Autopilot, a Ford with BlueCruise can nonetheless crash if the motive force is distracted whereas utilizing hands-free know-how.

To stop driver distraction, your Ford automobile screens your eye and head motion utilizing in-built cameras. If the cameras discover that your consideration is diverted some other place, even should you’re carrying sun shades, you’ll obtain a warning on the digital show.

If you do not shift your consideration again on the highway after the warning, BlueCruise hands-free driving mode will deactivate and immediate your automobile to decelerate step by step.

Which Conditions Affect Ford BlueCruise?

The Ford BlueCruise software program can solely management your automobile in permitted roadways often called “Blue Zones.” Currently, the Blue Zones are solely obtainable within the United States and a few components of Canada.

Nevertheless, BlueCruise hands-free driving is proscribed to divided highways with seen lane markings. Also, Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving will deactivate should you’re driving near a building web site—that is essential so that you could react to any potential hazard on the highway. Similarly, it’s possible you’ll be unable to depend on Ford BlueCruise should you drive on a slender highway.

Besides that, Ford’s self-driving system might be affected by excessive climate circumstances that make it troublesome to establish lane markings in Blue Zones.

Is Ford BlueCruise Worth the Hype?

Ford BlueCruise is simply nearly as good as Tesla’s Autopilot and GM’s Super Cruise—if not higher. If paired with different driver help options, you will not simply drive your automobile hands-free but additionally obtain potential collision and blind spot alerts.

What’s extra, you may combine Ford BlueCruise with parking help, evasive driving help, and hill descent management to make driving safer than ever earlier than. The solely draw back of BlueCruise is that it is solely obtainable on the most recent Ford automobiles, so you may should commerce in your previous automobile for a brand new mannequin if you wish to get pleasure from this tech.