Ford's BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving Tech Is Finally Getting This Key Missing Feature
In 2021, Ford introduced BlueCruise to the Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150. The 2022 Lincoln Navigator also came with Lincoln ActiveGlide — which is similar to Ford BlueCruise, but works with slightly different branding to fit the vehicle. Ford BlueCruise and Lincoln ActiveGlide deliver driver assist technology that allows you to keep your hands off the steering wheel when activated — which is impressive in and of itself.
At the same time, Ford's BlueCruise/Lincoln ActiveGlide has its limits. Ford's tech is a level 2 autonomous system limited to lane centering, stop and go, speed sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control. It's yet to catch up to GM's Super Cruise which is more advanced than that. We also took the 2022 Lincoln Navigator on a test drive and noticed the Lincoln ActiveGlide is inconsistent on tight corners, while Ford's driver assistant technology edged our vehicle a little too close to surrounding white line boundaries at times.
But that's about to change now that Ford has announced that it's updating BlueCruise/ActiveGlide to include some of the key missing features.
ActiveGlide and BlueCruise advance
In a press release, Ford has announced what to expect from its next-generation driver assistant technology — Ford BlueCruise 1.2 and Lincoln ActiveGlide 1.2. For the first time, Ford's BlueCruise will be capable of automatically changing lanes without the driver engaging their steering wheel. With this system in play, changing lanes will only require the driver to activate their turn signal, and BlueCruise will do the rest.
BlueCruise/ActiveGlide will be updated with "Predictive Speed Assist," which predicts when a speed adjustment is needed before a sharp curve in the road. Predictive Speed Assist will also give the driver a heads up when a speed change is about to happen "so they understand why the vehicle is slowing."
What's more, if you find yourself feeling nervous when the driver assistance keeps your car too close to the lane boundary, the "In-Lane Repositioning" feature will fix that. It's designed to subtly shift away from nearby vehicles while remaining safely inside the bounds of its own lane.
The upcoming BlueCruise 1.2 will be available in the 2023 Mustang Mach-E which will be delivered this fall. Of course, we also expect Ford to include the latest BlueCruise hands-free driving tech in the 2023 F-150 Lightning hitting the road this year, and in other Ford and Lincoln vehicles released through the future.