Take a relaxing Sunday BlueCruise
Relinquishing control with the latest version of Ford's hands-off driver assists
SEATTLE — As a car journalist, I’ve long had the privilege of being at the cutting edge of transportation innovation, and I try to keep that in mind when testing new tech.
I’ve spent dozens of hours chatting with carmaker engineers, learning the intricacies of advanced driver assist systems like GM’s Super Cruise and Tesla’s Autopilot: how they work, why they do (or don’t) certain things, their limitations and strengths.
Last week, I was in Seattle to test the updated 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E (more on that next week), but I was particularly interested in the latest version of Ford’s hands-off driving system, BlueCruise.
Up to version 1.3, the latest update doesn’t add any new features — instead, it adds a lot of polish and, for lack of a better word, driving experience. It’s like going from a 17-year-old behind the wheel to a 25-year-old. It’s smoother and less tentative, and easier to trust.
At least, that’s what I thought. I’ve been testing these systems for years, and I could immediately tell that BlueCruise 1.3 was a giant leap forward. I’d say it’s even closing in on Super Cruise’s driving ability, an impressive feat as I’ve long felt that GM’s product is the best in the industry.
But then I swapped with my co-driver, another auto journalist who had never driven BlueCruise before, and I was reminded that not everyone has spent so much time learning about why these systems are trustworthy.
He was tentative, understandably hesitant to remove his hands from the wheel, even with my encouragement. His hands floated next to the wheel, waiting to take over.
BlueCruise allows drivers to remove their hands from the wheel on certain preapproved roads, typically interstates and other major highways, while still paying attention to the road. The car is smart enough to recognize both the lane lines and other cars, and to keep the vehicle heading in the right direction.
Think of it as a very advanced version of the lane departure warning you might have in your car (if it was built in the last 10 or 15 years). Instead of just beeping when you touch a lane line (or steering you back if you have a more advanced system), it just steers for you.
And you can’t take a nap. The system watches your eyes — including through sunglasses, luckily — to make sure you’re paying attention to the road. Look away for more than a few seconds (even to adjust the radio or to look at the navigation map, annoyingly), and the system beeps angrily at you. Eventually, it’ll just shut off entirely.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Why do I care? How hard is it to steer?
I’ve written about these systems before, including an L.A.-to-Vegas road trip where I used Super Cruise for hours. You have no idea how much mental effort driving is until you use and get used to a system like BlueCruise.
Driving along, watching the highway to ensure nothing weird happens while the car steers for you is almost relaxing. An interstate is one of the easiest places to drive: There are (probably) no pedestrians, no cross-traffic, no vehicles coming the other way, and everyone else (mostly) stays in their lane.
Of course, sometimes weirdness does happen, which is why the driver always needs to be paying attention. Future versions of this software will be able to handle crazy situations, but we’re not there yet.
If a deer runs out in front of you, BlueCruise may try to brake, but it won’t be able to perform evasive maneuvers like a human could. But those incidents are rare. Most of the time, driving on the interstate is boring and tedious.
But then, as I watched my co-driver, I realized that this is an entirely foreign concept for many people, and it would take years for folks to get used to it.
A half-decade ago, I was an Uber driver for a hot minute and would converse with my passengers about the adaptive cruise control in my Volvo. As we sat in stop-and-go traffic, I’d show them how I didn’t need to touch the brake or throttle, and the car would handle it for me. People marveled at that, and BlueCruise is a giant leap forward from that impressive tech.
Then I meet people, like my auto journalist co-driver, who don’t even like regular cruise control and prefer to manage their speed manually at all times.
We have a long way to go before using a hands-free system like BlueCruise is as second nature as cruise control (or even automatic headlights). New technology, especially when it comes to steering a car down the road, can be bewildering or downright alarming.
But these systems are slowly making their way into the world. Ford and GM are equipping more vehicles with the tech every year, and as people get exposed to them (and journalists like me sing their praises), I think enthusiasm and acceptance will continue to grow.
At least, I hope it will. It’s just so convenient ... once you learn to keep your hands to yourself, anyway.