Ford BlueCruise Update Adds Automatic Lane Changing and More
The 2023 Mustang Mach-E will be the first vehicle to get the updated tech suite.
What's happening
Ford is rolling out an updated version of its BlueCruise and Lincoln ActiveGlide driver-assistance suite.
Why it matters
This hands-free highway assist system will now include automatic lane changing, as well as predictive speed assist and in-lane repositioning.
What's next
Ford BlueCruise 1.2 will first be available on the 2023 Mustang Mach-E EV.
Version 1.2 of the Ford BlueCruise and Lincoln ActiveGlide hands-free driver-assistance technologies will launch this fall, Ford announced Thursday. The 2023 Mustang Mach-E will be the first vehicle to get this updated tech suite before Ford and Lincoln gradually roll it out to other models.
The most notable addition to BlueCruise and ActiveGlide is automatic lane change assist. When the driver taps the turn signal, the vehicle can move to a different lane on its own, and can even suggest when a lane change would be helpful for passing slower cars. Additionally, predictive speed assist will adjust the vehicle's speed as it approaches a sharp curve, and will alert the driver that it's doing so. Finally, BlueCruise and ActiveGlide get in-lane repositioning, which helps place the car away from vehicles in other lanes -- like if you're driving next to a huge truck, for example.
Unfortunately, Ford is not currently planning to offer the 1.2 software update to its existing customers through an over-the-air update. "We will share more about Ford Power-Up and Lincoln Enhance software updates as they are available," a Ford spokesperson said.
Ford says the goal with this update to provide a "more human-like" experience while using BlueCruise or ActiveGlide by "refining visuals, sensing and steering experiences." Several other automakers offer similar technologies, our favorite of which is General Motors' Super Cruise, but we also like BMW's latest system for its incredibly natural feeling.
Ford BlueCruise and Lincoln ActiveGlide are available for use on more than 130,000 miles of premapped roadways in North America. Through August of this year, Ford estimates, more than 16 million hands-free miles were logged by its 75,000 BlueCruise and ActiveGlide users.
