Hands-Free Driving: Ford ‘BlueCruise’ Ready to Compete with Tesla Autopilot

Based on current sales data, Ford could enable as many as 100K Mustang Mach-E SUVs and F-150 trucks with BlueCruise this year!

Watch out, Tesla and General Motors. Ford’s hands-free highway driving technology, BlueCruise, is set to launch later this year after 500,000 miles of development testing. But, unlike most new feature launches, many new 2021 Mustang Mach-Es and F-150s are already mechanically equipped for BlueCruise, needing only an over-the-air software update to be fully capable (more on this below).

We’ve had a lot of seat time in the 2021 Mach-E and F-150 over the last few months (reviews of the California Route 1 Mach E and hybrid F-150 coming very soon!). New safety features like Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, Lane Centering, and Speed Sign Recognition already work quite well. Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control allows you to not only pick a speed, but to also pick a distance between your vehicle and the one you’re following. Get too close to a slower vehicle, and the Mach-E slows accordingly. Lane Centering works well too, slightly nudging steering input to center your vehicle.

Ford’s BlueCruise is the next step forward. An SAE Level 2 driver-assist technology that doesn’t require drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel unless prompted. The system works by monitoring both the road as well as the driver’s eyes to avoid distractions. And, no, BlueCruise won’t work everywhere. At least not initially. Ford has mapped out 100,000 miles of North American highways, dubbed Hands-Free Blue Zones, where the system will work. More coverage is planned.

BlueCruise Testing: The Mother of All Road Trips

Ford is on track to cover 500,000 miles of BluesCruise development testing. To be fair, much of the development was conducted in simulators and lab environments. However, Ford engineers also sent five F-150 trucks and five Mach-E SUVs on a massive road trip for real-world testing amongst “variances in road signage, lane markings, exit ramps, traffic patterns, and weather.” In total, the 10-vehicle Ford fleet covered a combined 110,000 miles, a trip the team dubbed the Mother of All Road Trips:

“There are highway intricacies and driving conditions that you simply cannot replicate in a lab,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford chief product platform and operations officer. “Sending these vehicles out for real-world driving experience is just one of many ways we ensured that BlueCruise technology offers confidence and convenience for drivers all across the continent.”

How Do I Get BlueCruise on My Ford?

As mentioned above, if you’ve already purchased a 2021 Mustang Mach-E or 2021 Ford F-150, you’ll be able to snag BlueCruise when the update becomes available IF you opted for the Ford Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep Package. Assuming you did, at launch time, Ford will offer you the chance to purchase BlueCruise for $600, which includes a 3-year service plan.

Going forward, here’s how it breaks down:

• F-150: BlueCruise is part of Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0, which currently costs $1,595 ($600 of that for software). It’s standard on the Limited, but optional on Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum.
• Mach-E: BlueCruise is standard on CA Route 1, Premium, and First Edition. It’s a $3,200 option (including $600 for the software) on Mustang Mach-E Select as part of the Comfort and Tech package.

Photos: Ford Motor Company