The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a formal investigation into Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free driving system, which is available in several models from the automaker. This investigation comes after two fatal crashes involving the Blue Cruise system in the Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
Blue Cruise was first introduced in the 2021 model year and is now available in various Ford and Lincoln models. The Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and feet off the pedals while driving on specified highways. It uses a combination of cameras, sensors, and map data to keep the vehicle in its lane, adjust speed, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. An internal camera also monitors the driver to ensure they are paying attention to the road.
Both fatal crashes involving the Blue Cruise system occurred at night, with at least one person killed in each incident. One crash happened in San Antonio, and the other occurred in Philadelphia. The NHTSA investigation will focus on the system’s performance in driving the vehicle and its capability to monitor the driver.
Ford has expressed willingness to cooperate with regulators regarding the investigation but has not provided any official comments to news sources yet. The investigation will shed light on how effective and safe Ford’s Blue Cruise system is when compared with other hands-free driving systems currently available on the market.
The NHTSA will examine whether Blue Cruise complies with federal safety standards for automated driving systems (ADS). If it finds that Blue Cruise does not comply with these standards or poses an undue risk to public safety, it may issue safety recalls or require Ford to make modifications to improve its performance.
In conclusion, Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free driving system is under scrutiny by regulators due to two fatal crashes involving this technology. The NHTSA investigation aims to determine if this ADS complies with federal safety standards or poses a risk to public safety. We await further updates on this matter as it unfolds.
