Level 2 hands-free, eyes-open advanced driver assistance system is now the most widely available L2 regulatory-approved system
Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving technology can now be used and provide its benefits in a total of 15 European countries following approval by the European Commission. This unlocks access to more than 133,000 kilometers of designated motorways across Europe, designated as ‘Blue Zones’, allowing customers to travel across multiple countries. For example, a customer can use BlueCruise in six countries traveling from Sweden to Italy. On this trip he will be able to cover nearly 3,000 kilometers enjoying hands-free driving for more than 25 hours.
The advanced hands-free, eyes-open Level 2 driver assistance system is now also the most widely available system of its kind in Europe. Specifically, BlueCruise is available and approved for all new Mustang Mach-E vehicles sold in a total of 20 countries worldwide. For Greece, BlueCruise is immediately available on Mustang Mach-E vehicles manufactured after April 22, 2024 (model year 2024 and later), while for previous production Mustang Mach-E models a new update is expected.
In 2023, BlueCruise was the first system of its kind to gain approval when launched in Great Britain, making it the first advanced driver assistance system to offer true hands-free driving on motorways in Europe. In Spain, Ford was also the first automaker to give its customers the option of hands-free driving on the highway.
“We believe BlueCruise can make highway driving easier and more enjoyable, whether you’re driving in heavy traffic with frequent stop-starts or taking a long road trip. With this recent decision we will be able to offer even more customers access to BlueCruise across Europe,” said Ashley Lambrix, BlueCruise General Manager at Ford Motor Company. “Extending the availability of Blue Zones beyond Great Britain, Germany and Spain is also a huge milestone for us, allowing customers to use BlueCruise while traveling in multiple countries.”
When BlueCruise is activated, the system controls steering, acceleration, braking, vehicle lane position and safety distances from the car in front by monitoring road markings, speed limit signs and evolving traffic conditions – from high highway speeds up to its complete standstill in traffic jams. Drivers using BlueCruise in the ‘Blue Zones’ can drive with their hands off the wheel as long as they keep their attention on the road ahead.
To ensure drivers keep an eye on road conditions while their hands are off the wheel, a driver-facing camera mounted under the dashboard monitors their gaze and head position, even when wears sunglasses
Customers have the option of a free 90-day trial to see how BlueCruise can make long journeys or traffic jams a more enjoyable and less stressful process. After the free trial, customers can activate an annual or monthly subscription, which they can cancel or renew at any time. This monthly subscription model makes it easy to activate BlueCruise at a time that fits each driver’s plans and schedule.
Over 420,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles on the world’s roads are currently equipped with the BlueCruise system. Also, more than 342 million kilometers have been driven using BlueCruise worldwide, with a total of more than 3.1 million hours of hands-free driving time.
See the Blue Zones in Europe and Greece and learn about the Blue Cruise system here
Source: Skai
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