What is BlueCruise and How Does it Work?
What Is BlueCruise?
Simply put, BlueCruise is a hands-free form of cruise control that allows you to sit back and relax during freeway driving, letting the vehicle handle acceleration, braking, and even steering. You can also use it while you still have your hands on the wheel for smaller autonomous driving actions, like changing lanes or just staying centered in your current lane. The system is designed to work with the driver, and you can hand over as much or as little control as the situation calls for, giving you the ability to take over steering without disengaging BlueCruise.
How Does BlueCruise Work?
Not all hands-free driving systems are the same, and different technology is employed by different brands. So itās important to note that BlueCruise was rated as the top active driving assistance systems, out of 17 systems, by Consumer Reportsā for the last two years in a row. Like other systems, BlueCruise uses a whole series of external sensors and cameras to determine the best way to handle driving speed, other vehicles, and so on. But unlike some other systems, BlueCruise uses smart mapping to create a network of compatible roads, so the system is better aware of things like upcoming turns and prevailing traffic trends. A prompt on the instrument cluster will alert you when youāre on a compatible road, although that will happen a lot, as there are 130,000 miles of compatible roads in North America, comprising 97% of controlled access highways in the U.S. and Canada. And the good news for everyone on the road is that BlueCruise uses driver monitoring systems, including a driver-facing camera, to ensure that the driver is paying attention to the road. This is in contrast to systems from other manufacturers that allow drivers to take their eyes off the road completely, and in some cases even fall asleep.
FAQ
How do I know if my vehicle has BlueCruise? – BlueCruise is offered on a wide variety of Ford (and Lincoln) vehicles, but not all of them, or every trim, and isnāt standard of any trim of some vehicles. If youāre checking on a vehicle that you already own, you can find this information in your Ford account, under Connected Services. If itās a vehicle youāre still shopping for, BlueCruise will be listed in the equipment, or you can ask a member of our team and weāll be happy to help you.
Whatās the difference between BlueCruise and Ford Co-Pilot360? – Ford Co-Pilot360 is a suite of driver assistance technologies that help you operate your vehicle, but never take full control. BlueCruise uses some of the same technology, but with the aim of allowing you to take your hands off the wheel.
Are there different versions of BlueCruise?– Yes, there is BlueCruise 1.0, 1.2, and 1.3. BlueCruise 1.0 began shipping with 2021 model year Mustang Mach-E and F-150s in select trims. The Mustang Mach-E was also the first to get the latest, 1.3, in the second half of 2023. These different versions offer different capabilities, and itās a good idea to check which version your vehicle has, as well as whether or not an update is available for your vehicle. Fortunately, this is easy to do from the settings menu on your SYNC screen. Hereās the breakdown of the different versions:
- BlueCruise 1.0 – Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Centering for hands-free driving in Blue Zones
- BlueCruise 1.2 – Adds In-Lane Repositioning and Lane Change Assist
- BlueCruise 1.3 – Improved hands-free operation, particularly on narrower lanes and curves