Driving without hands? Review Ford BlueCruise

Matter of trust

First you had to hold down the gas pedal yourself. Then came cruise control, so you could let go of the pedal, and now there is even adaptive cruise control, where the car automatically keeps distance from the car in front of you. Little work is left for you as a driver.

Despite the fact that we just love to steer a pot with our hands and put our feet on the pedals, sometimes it’s also nice to let the car do the work. After all, not all roads are equally exciting to drive. Sometimes you just have to follow the crowd in a straight line from A to B. Then it’s quite nice when the car partially takes over the steering from you.

Leaning back just yet

As uncomfortable as it feels at first to relinquish control, it becomes more pleasant with the minutes. BlueCruise can only be activated in so-called Bluezones, read highways, up to a speed of 130 km/h. Not only in the Netherlands, but also throughout Europe. The system uses various driving assistance systems that ensure that the car stays in a lane completely independently. This involves the use of adaptive cruise control and lane centering.

Perhaps by now you too are used to being partially out of control. But letting go of your feet and your hands while cruising along the freeway is a threshold you have to cross. That is the first feeling when the screen behind the steering wheel shows that the BlueCruise has been activated. You can and may simply take your hands off the wheel. There is nothing to worry about.

Active contribution driver

So can you really do other things while driving? No, not (yet). BlueCruise is a system that sits at level 2 (plus) on the SAE scale, in which there are five levels in which technology can play a role in driving. At this level, we cannot speak of a fully autonomous vehicle and you as the driver remain ultimately responsible.

While driving, therefore, you are expected to keep an eye on the road. An infrared camera behind the steering wheel monitors your presence as a driver and checks your eye movements. If your attention loosens, read looking away from the traffic situation, the system will issue a subtle warning. But if things get really serious, the car will briefly apply the brakes to wake you up, or even switch off completely. Eyes on the road, in other words.

Different from other systems?

While driving, the question also arises, what exactly is the added value of the system? After all, other cars are also increasingly equipped with advanced driver assistance systems that allow you to temporarily relinquish control.

The main difference is that with other manufacturers, such systems are merely assistive. Once in a while, the car will check whether you as a driver are still active and you really need to keep your hands on the wheel from time to time. And that’s exactly what doesn’t have to happen with BlueCruise. This is truly a system that provides a semi-autonomous driving experience.

Moreover, the system remains engaged for a surprisingly long time. Even if traffic comes to a stop, BlueCruise remains activated and can get the car moving again in a timely manner. After a really long standstill, however, it will turn off. Even under special conditions, the system remains active for a while. In this case, we were driving towards a stretch of road with works. Due to the modified lines, Lane Centring became inactive and the system switched off and we had to take over the wheel.  

How it could get even better

The system is mainly intended for comfortable highway mileage. Germany also allows use of the system. With that in mind, you can actually drive from the Netherlands to Austria quite leisurely, knowing that along the way the BlueCruise can do most of the work for you.

Still, at times the system will appeal to the driver. For example, it will not work in tunnels, on ramps and exits, or in conditions where the road lines are not clearly visible. Nor is it currently possible to change lanes automatically. In America, on the other hand, this is commonplace. These are possible additions that could make driving even more comfortable. Moreover, there are also many provincial roads in the Netherlands where we would like to drive semi-autonomously.

Availability

The system is already available in new versions of the Mustang Mach-E (with Tech Pack) and will soon be available in other new models such as the Puma and Kuga. With European Commission approval, BlueCruise is now available in 18 European countries, including the Netherlands. It does not come standard on your car; the system can be taken out in a subscription form for €24.99 a month. Ford says it deliberately chose this form to ensure that customers always have access to the most up-to-date safety technology. Installation of the system is simple and is done via an over-the-air update.

Conclusion

With BlueCruise, Ford is taking an important step toward autonomous driving. The system offers drivers more comfort and convenience while driving on the highway, especially during long distances or slow-moving traffic and traffic jams. Experience tells us that these are times when steering is not very exciting after all. And then it’s nice to be able to think, “We keep the overview, but the car does the work.