Improvements in the automotive industry aim not only to enhance vehicle performance but also constantly make driving convenient for motorists. Ford is one of the brands aggressively pursuing this goal, as it announced a hands-free lane change feature as one of the anticipated updates to its BlueCruise driver-assist technology.
Ford is releasing version 1.2 for its BlueCruise and ActiveGlide driver-assist technologies
“The latest improvements allow customers to command lane changes using just a turn signal, and make hands-free driving feel more human-like by smoothly slowing down for turns, and giving more room to large vehicles in neighboring lanes,” said Doug Field, Chief Officer for EV & Digital Systems on Ford’s Model e Division.
Formerly known as Active Drive Assist, Ford’s BlueCruise technology allows for true hands-free driving using Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go and Lane Centering combined with Speed Sign Recognition. Users can take their hands off the steering wheel, and a driver-facing camera monitors drivers to make sure that they have eyes on the road at all times.
For the upcoming Ford BlueCruise 1.2, the Lane Change Assist feature will help the vehicle maneuver through highway traffic by performing a hands-free lane change, initiated by the driver tapping the turn signal. It can also suggest changing lanes when following slow-moving traffic.
BlueCruise works on over 209,000 kilometers of roads in the U.S.
Another update is Predictive Speed Assist that smoothly adjusts vehicle speed when approaching a sharp curve. The feature notifies drivers ahead of time when the vehicle will slow down. Meanwhile, In-Lane Repositioning keeps the car in its lane while gently shifting its position away from other vehicles – such as buses and large trucks – in adjacent lanes.
The updates are also available on ActiveGlide 1.2, an identical driver-assist system used by Ford’s Lincoln luxury division. Both BlueCruise and ActiveGlide work on prequalified sections of highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones, with more than 209,000 kilometers of these roads existing in the U.S. at present.
Ford's BlueCruise 1.2 will come standard on the upcoming 2023 Mustang Mach-E
These system improvements will be available on new Ford vehicles rolling off the assembly lines for the U.S. market by the fourth quarter of 2022, beginning with the Ford Mustang Mach-E. A total of 75,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles are enrolled in BlueCruise and ActiveGlide, racking up more than 25.7 million hands-free driving kilometers across the U.S. as of August 2022.
Allow us to assist your knowledge with up-to-date industry news at Philkotse.com.