Ford is sending an update to Blue Cruise that will improve functionality with some nice features we usually use on other advanced driver assistance systems. Plus, in addition to Blue Cruise getting the update, the Lincoln version called Active Glide is getting the same update.
For starters, both Blue Cruise and Active Glide can change lanes hands-free. As with other lane change aids, you request the lane change by activating the turn signal. It will scan for traffic and if everything is clear, the vehicle will move into the requested lane. Ford says it will even suggest the driver in the cluster to change lanes as you approach slower traffic. What this new feature doesn’t do, however, are automatic lane changes. Systems like Super Cruise and Tesla’s Autopilot will recognize slower traffic and then make their own pass to bypass the traffic — they’ll even go back to your previous lane after making the pass. We wouldn’t be surprised if Ford adds this functionality to the system in a future update.
Another update in this release is the new programming “In-Lane Repositioning”. It is designed to recognize when there are vehicles in adjacent lanes and will then move you further away from them within your lane. Ford says it’s especially useful when passing semi-trucks, giving you the usual and more comfortable buffer that a human driver can give a truck.
The latest update is a Predictive Speed Assist feature that adjusts your speed as you approach a turn. It signals the driver in the cluster that the car will slow down for a turn and then do so gradually as you approach it. This is the kind of feature we normally like to disable as soon as possible, as we’d rather just keep the same speed for highway curves. But if you’re one of those people who likes to slow down for highway curves, it makes for a more natural driving feel.
Ford says customers have totaled more than 16 million hands-free miles on Blue Cruise vehicles to date. Called simply 1.2, this update for Blue Cruise and Active Glide will roll out for the first time this fall. It will hit the Mustang Mach-E first, and Ford says other vehicles will follow.
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