The UK Department of Transport has now given the green light to the Ford BlueCruise technology. This means that drivers with the Mustang Mach-E can now use hands-off and eye-on driving technology on the UK’s 3,700-kilometre Blue Zone motorway.

BlueCruise monitors road markings and changing traffic conditions, and can steer, accelerate, brake and determine lane position. Additionally, the system maintains a safe and consistent distance from the vehicle in front and, if necessary, completely stops the vehicle in the event of a traffic jam.

Advanced infrared camera technology continuously monitors driver alertness for the safety of drivers, passengers and other road users.

Owners of the 2023 model year Ford Mustang Mach-E in the UK will be the first to activate BlueCruise via subscription. 5 The first ninety days are included with the purchase of the car. After that, a monthly subscription of £17.99 allows customers to take on long trips and holidays and adapt the driver assistance system to the intended use of the car.

Ford hopes BlueCruise will be activated in more European countries as soon as regulations permit. This system will also be implemented in more Ford models in the coming years.

Hands off, look

The BlueCruise builds on Ford’s Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC) capabilities, which can automatically offset traffic to a complete stop within the legal speed limit. Hands-free mode allows drivers on approved Blue Zone highway sections to take their hands off the wheel while keeping their eyes on the road, providing added convenience on long journeys.

BlueCruise hands-free driving is available when the car detects it has entered an approved Blue Zone motorway. To engage BlueCruise, drivers must first put their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. Once indicated on the instrument display, drivers can take their hands off the wheel while keeping their eyes on the road. The system uses an animated notification on the cluster with text and a blue light signal to indicate that the feature is in hands-free mode, effective even for people who are color blind.

BlueCruise is controlled by a Ford in-vehicle computer network and operates up to a maximum speed of 130 km/h. It uses a combination of radar and cameras to determine and track the position and speed of other vehicles on the road. The forward-facing camera detects lane markings and speed signs and importantly, the system also uses a driver-facing infrared camera located under the instrument cluster to monitor the driver’s view (even if wearing sunglasses) and head hold. This checks if the attention stays on the trail.

If the system detects that the driver is not paying attention, a warning message is first displayed on the instrument cluster, followed by an audible warning, applying the brakes, and finally by slowing down while maintaining steering wheel control. Similar action is taken if the driver does not put their hands back on the wheel when indicated to leave the Blue Zone.

Ford is working with authorities to provide BlueCruise via a future Ford Power-Up software update on Mustang Mach-Es built before 2023 and equipped with the optional Tech Pack or Tech Pack+.

Tested

Ford engineers tested 100,000 miles on European roads to verify the operation of the latest generation of advanced driver assistance systems (including BlueCruise). Testing in Europe followed nearly 1 million miles of testing in the US and Canada before the system was introduced to those markets last year. Drivers of more than 140,000 Fords and Lincolns have since driven more than 50 million miles hands-free in the United States and Canada. BlueCruise was also recently named the Best Active Driver Assistance System in the US in Consumer Reports.

On-the-go inspections in the UK show that the system is ready for conditions drivers face every day, such as worn lane markings, bad weather and road repairs.