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A NEW feature affecting close to half a million used Fords will give drivers a helping hand in bad weather.
The driverless vehicle feature already comes as standard on new cars.
The Ford F-150 will be one of the vehicles with the new feature[/caption]
The BlueCruise feature is a major update to hands-free driving[/caption]
The upcoming update to Ford’s hands-free BlueCruise will make it even more capable.
Update Version 1.4 will mean drivers don’t have to touch the steering wheel as often.
The system is also more capable of keeping a vehicle centered in its lane.
Ford introduced the BlueCruise hands-free driving assist system in certain models of its 2001 Mustang Mach-E and F-150.
Since then, the auto giant has introduced the tech to more vehicles, making it even more capable.
Ford says the latest version improves the system’s ability to handle tight curves, narrow sections of the road, poor visibility due to weather, and glare from the sun.
The system is also reportedly better at adjusting a vehicle’s speed on curves.
Ford claims the latest sweeping changes also give the new software the power to run eight times longer without the driver having to touch the steering wheel compared to the original 1.0 version.
The new update is also said to reduce the amount of moving between different sides of the line by 80% compared to the 1.0 version.
BlueCruise 1.4 will be a factory standard on some 2025 Ford and Lincoln models.
Ford of difference
What’s the difference between BlueCruise versions 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4?
- BlueCruise 1.0 – Builds on available Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Centering to add hands-free driving capabilities on prequalified sections of divided highways called hands-free Blue Zones.
- BlueCruise 1.2 – Adds new features including In-Lane Repositioning (which can give you more space by subtly shifting away from vehicles in adjacent lanes) and Lane Change Assist (tapping your turn signal to initiate a hands-free lane change).
- BlueCruise 1.3 – Helps you stay engaged longer in hands-free mode by improving performance, with greater ability to navigate narrow lanes and curves.
- BlueCruise 1.4 – Delivers great in-lane stability, while automatically and smoothly adjusting the vehicle’s speed in even more curves, allowing for more hands-free time and a more continuous drive.
- Source: Ford site.
It will also be available for certain models dating back to 2021 for the F-150, F-150 Lightning, Expedition, Explorer, Mustang Mach-E, and the entire Lincoln range.
Ford has said it will roll out the upgrade across model years and vehicle lines.
It adds that there are roughly 492,000 BlueCruise-equipped vehicles on the road that have covered more than 244 million miles hands-free.
The company says it uses this data from used vehicles to guide changes for future updates.
