What is the point of BlueCruise?

[Snakebitten]

You’re not understanding how this works. What you’re describing… that’s not it.

Are you talking about a small wrap weight like these?
I'm only posting to clarity of the visual

Sponsored

 

[933233311602]

With ACC and LKA, the only difference BlueCruise offers is that you can be completely handsfree. But even so, you're supposed to pay attention to the road and for your safety, you shouldn't be hands free for long anyways. ACC/LKA can also resume automatically on highways during standstill traffic. I guess with the new BC, it can automatically change lanes too but I'm not sure I would even use that feature. What am I missing?

The point is that people think it's a must-have feature when buying a new car. So Ford has to have it in their cars. So Ford spends millions to develop something that isn't much more than a party trick to sell cars.

 

[awp0]

The point is that people think it's a must-have feature when buying a new car. So Ford has to have it in their cars. So Ford spends millions to develop something that isn't much more than a party trick to sell cars.

LOL, it may not be valuable to you, but we have 5 pages of messages from people who clearly consider this much more than a party trick. Anyway.....

I enjoy it, and with 1.3 it works really well. I think the eye nanny does a good job to ensure we're watching the road and well-enough "engaged". I'd even argue that BC mode is significantly safer from an engagement POV, since the average driver these days seems to be staring at their phone more than the road, and BC doesn't allow this.

All of that said, I agree that hands-free BC version is not worth $50 compared to the free "hands-on" version. It's outlandishly expensive IMHO and hopefully they continue gradually dropping the price after quadrupling it a few years ago. I definitely won't be subscribing at this price.

Regarding the ankle weight workaround, there's one scenario where I think this is distinctly less safe, which is when BC encounters an unexpected situation where it requires you to take the wheel. With normal hands-free BC this is a loud audible alert until you give feedback to the wheel. With hands-on BC using an ankle weight, I believe the car thinks you already have the wheel and may not present the loud audible alert when it disables BC.

 

[music_cities]

Are you talking about a small wrap weight like these?
I'm only posting to clarity of the visual

Feet pix! I knew I came to the right forum!

 

[ChehRob]

Blue Cruise expects the driver to have situational awareness at all times (OK, you can unwrap a sandwich or some such for a few seconds), and it then does all of the driving. For me my aching shoulders get to be at ease on the nicely placed rests. I have used the metaphor of the captain of a USN ship - he is the one on the bridge who isn't doing anything. Just knowing what is going on.

If you do not have situational awareness, say using a phony FSD, and a highway glitch comes up it takes one to a few seconds to regain it. Dangerous. Ford's ADAS does not put you in this position.

 

[SonicBlue]

Regarding the ankle weight workaround, there's one scenario where I think this is distinctly less safe, which is when BC encounters an unexpected situation where it requires you to take the wheel. With normal hands-free BC this is a loud audible alert until you give feedback to the wheel. With hands-on BC using an ankle weight, I believe the car thinks you already have the wheel and may not present the loud audible alert when it disables BC.

I think there is some audible and visual warning when ACC/LC disengages in hands-on mode? But you’re right it is certainly not as pronounced as when in hands-free mode. So that’s a valid point.

 

[awp0]

I think there is some audible and visual warning when ACC/LC disengages in hands-on mode? But you’re right it is certainly not as pronounced as when in hands-free mode. So that’s a valid point.

Could be true. Admittedly, I haven't actually tested this but I've thought a lot about this workaround. Maybe you're right and the loud alert and red "take control" message persists for some amount of time regardless of whether it detects hands-on feedback. I thought it only stays on until it detects the steering wheel feedback, which could be dangerous in the ankle weight scenario.

 

[devmach-e]

I have a 48 mile commute to work. 35 miles of that is on a mapped highway. It makes my commute so much easier when I don't have to have my hands on the wheel. Mine is a 2022 that came with 3-years of service baked into the price of the car, and then got a 1-year extension for free. I do agree that $50 a month or $500 a year is too expensive. I would pay $200 a year to keep BC, but not $500.

 

[Totallyford]

The interesting thing about stress is it is related to a person’s belief.

Some people can be stress free with a Tesla driving around in FSD “mad max mode” exceeding the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic and like it to be in a “sports car”. Others like my wife find using adaptive cruise control too stressful to use.

I personally fall into the category of lightly holding on to the wheel with one hand and only using BlueCruise on long trips and major highways like I5.

One note, I just took a trip to the LA area and used the automatic passing feature. It works pretty good, but I had to catch in some tricky situations. The more I think about it I wish there was a button or assistant command that could turn it off and on. It was nice when passing slow trucks, but I would have like being able to temporarily turn it off in some situations and digging through the menus while driving isn’t an option.

 

[YunniorO]

My only gripe with BC is paying the same subscription price as a 2025 when I don’t even have automated lane changes like the 2025.

Our subscription should be reduced if we’re not going to get the same features as a 2025/2026.

If it’s being worked on, fine, but until it’s officially announced 1.5 is coming to older MMEs, then I don’t see why I should pay the same price as a vehicle with 1.5

 

[phil]

You simply don’t need to be on as high level of alert when handsfree mode is on and if you drive for long stretches, it does make a difference.

I found the opposite to be true.

When I am driving, I do not need to be alert to the car independently doing something dangerous. When BlueCruise is driving, I need to be alert to whatever it might decide to do, in addition to all the usual hazards of road conditions, other vehicles, etc.

 

[ChehRob]

Situational awareness means you always need to be alert - that means to be knowing what is going on around you. You can and should be relaxed at the same time. Think athletic awareness.

 

[Desert Dan]

The interesting thing about stress is it is related to a person’s belief.

Some people can be stress free with a Tesla driving around in FSD “mad max mode” exceeding the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic and like it to be in a “sports car”. Others like my wife find using adaptive cruise control too stressful to use.

I personally fall into the category of lightly holding on to the wheel with one hand and only using BlueCruise on long trips and major highways like I5.

One note, I just took a trip to the LA area and used the automatic passing feature. It works pretty good, but I had to catch in some tricky situations. The more I think about it I wish there was a button or assistant command that could turn it off and on. It was nice when passing slow trucks, but I would have like being able to temporarily turn it off in some situations and digging through the menus while driving isn’t an option.

Where did you stop between SJ and LA. I live in the Coachella Valley and may drive up to Salinas at Thanksgiving.

 

[lightningandmache]

I care far more about local road lane keeping; I’ve been spoiled experiencing the Ioniq 5 years ago, it and Ford help you drive everywhere and anywhere

Wow. Can you describe the type of roads you use it on? Like streets with intersections and traffic lights? You just leave it on, steer the 90 degree turns, and then let it take back over the straights? It never occurred to me to try hands-on on local streets because I figured it wouldn't work well.

 

[ChrisO]

Where did you stop between SJ and LA. I live in the Coachella Valley and may drive up to Salinas at Thanksgiving.

We like to use Kettleman City and Santa Clarita, going from SJ to Santa Ana, but those don’t look ideal for you.

It also depends on the configuration of your Mach-E, size of battery and if AWD or not. And if you have a NACS adapter.

The best route seems to be up I5 to 46 and then over to 101.

ABRP picks different chargers depending on the battery size, and note there are a lot more choices if a NACS adapter is in the mix. Note since you would probably start out from home with 100% SOC but not on the return trip make sure you plan both directions and don’t be surprised if you use different ones on the return trip. Depending on your Mach-E’s configuration you might be able to make it to Lost Hills which is right at 46. I have charged at the Tesla chargers there with no problem. This the older one with 20 chargers by Denny’s. There is another real new one a short distance off to the right with tons of chargers but it seems like it still isn’t open. There looks to be a EAIn the same area of older Tesla chargers, but I have never used it.

There is no shortage of chargers on I5 and where you are going on 101, it really just comes down to which will be at the best spots for your trip.

Sponsored