Ford Quadruples BlueCruise Price to $800/yr for All Renewals

[Mirak]

Are you sure thats the case? It sounds like anyone renewing in 2024 will need to pay the higher price, at least thats how i read it. I feel like they knew what they were doing by extending us till the end of the year and not allowing us to pay the 3yr $600 price now.

This seems pretty clear to me…

BlueCruise renewal for model year 2021 vehicles purchased with the optional BlueCruise Prep Package* [this means the J1s] is available at a discounted rate of $200 a year for three years or $75 a month at the end of the customer's initial subscription period. Following this discounted subscription cycle, customers will
renew at the standard price.

Our initial subscription period for the J1 21s ends 12/31/23.

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[Atxsw]

I would agree that $800 a year is insane, even the $200 a year I was thinking was high.

 

[Blue highway]

Can Ford, GM and Tesla all just do the right thing and write/update the same national maps database? Seriously, why have every car company mapping roads when we could have 1 central database that we all tap into and update. Someone just needs to step up and do the right thing for everyone. Can I tag Google to tackle this?

Interstates have existed in GPS databases for decades. Map data is not the issue. BC uses a different criteria for what interstate it will let you turn on hands free than say GM super cruise does, or than Tesla does.

 

[axelheimer24]

I would love to chat with the product manager at @Ford Motor Company ’s responsible for this pricing change. I would hope a company this large would be smart enough to do some testing. They clearly need to improve margins, but this move won’t help them if nobody renews. Maybe they have data that proves most of us on this forum are wrong, but I doubt that. Instead this seems to be turning promoters into detractors. I love the car and bought it partially for blue cruise and partially because Ford didn’t seem to be after the gimmicky subscriptions that Tesla was pushing. I’m not a loyal ford customer and when Blue Cruise expires I’ll be more likely to shop other brands. Coming from one customer, this feature wasn’t important enough to pay a high priced subscription, but it was important enough to make me sticky.

 

[louc757]

You sure that Boeing and Airbus don’t charge (via maintenance agreements or something) for software updates to keep aircraft current?

For software updates, Boeing and Airbus do charge for that. However, it usually isn't mandatory. I was an Air Force pilot for 20 years, now flying for a major airline. What they charge for is navigation database updates, terrain database updates, etc., very similar to a car navigation update you pay for.

Blue cruise is equivalent to an aircraft autopilot. Not as advanced as the one on my B767 that can land itself and stop all by itself mind you. However Boeing does not charge a fee to use that autopilot and self landing feature.

I can stomach a software upgrade fee going from BC 1.2 to 1.3 if I desire, but not a subscription service. Since I have a 21 F150 and a 23 Mach E, that’s $1600/year for both vehicles. Sorry Ford, not paying that!!!

 

[MacherAWD]

Tesla uses Google maps. They don’t charge for map updates.

Not Nav maps, maps used to indicate when safe to go hands free. Assuming Tesla someday allows that.

 

[KevinS]

Coming soon to a Ford dashboard near you...

 

[MacherAWD]

Interstates have existed in GPS databases for decades. Map data is not the issue. BC uses a different criteria for what interstate it will let you turn on hands free than say GM super cruise does, or than Tesla does.

Agreed, but why are GM and Ford both trying to recreate a wheel, collaborate it's better for the common good.

 

[Kabish]

I disagree. I found rush hour to be when BlueCruise was most valuable. It made commuting into and out of the city a lot less stressful.

I mean its all personal preference. I live in San Diego where we have pretty garbage traffic. On top of that we have motorcycles splitting between lanes at 70mph. At 1 bar spacing it has me about the length of a simi. That just invites people to come in front of me which in turn causes the car to brake heavily which in turn almost gets me rear ended lol

Its just not for me during rush hour

 

[Ghost Ryder]

Not Nav maps, maps used to indicate when safe to go hands free. Assuming Tesla someday allows that.

Tesla doesn't use a map to determine when you can activate AP or FSD. It's purely vision base. When AP was first released, it was hands-free, but regulatory requirements forced some kind of monitoring system to ensure people are paying attention. Hence having to torque the steering wheel every minute. There is an interior camera, that may allow hands-free AP, but I don't bank on anything until it's released.

 

[MacherAWD]

Tesla doesn't use a map to determine when you can activate AP or FSD. It's purely vision base. When AP was first released, it was hands-free, but regulatory requirements forced some kind of monitoring system to ensure people are paying attention. Hence having to torque the steering wheel every minute. There is an interior camera, that may allow hands-free AP, but I don't bank on anything until it's released.

Yes I know, but obviously GM and Ford think it's safer to only do this on approved mapped roads. Tesla thinks it's software is good enough. A collaboration of approaches is what's needed. and I am not saying half baked approaches, I mean full autonomous driving in all conditions

 

[Mach1E]

But Im not getting the $600 for 3 year option, they gave me the free year which would end in july, but Ford extended to the end of the year, so thats about a year half free. If i renew in Jan when it ends I assume ill have to pay these new rates bot the $600 for 3 years.

It’s in the direct quote from Ford on the first post in this thread.

You will pay $600 for 3 years if you’re job 1 2021.

 

[Blue highway]

Agreed, but why are GM and Ford both trying to recreate a wheel, collaborate it's better for the common good.

point being it's not the map that you are paying for... its the ADAS software.

 

[Rt1AWD]

point being it's not the map that you are paying for... its the ADAS software.

I don't think so. You are paying for ADAS software when you are paying for your car. ADAS is available on the most of the cars for free.

 

[TMartz]

I use the blue cruise frequently because it is there, not a necessity. As a previous post stated, Adaptive CC and Lane assist is really all that I need. This is a bold and foolishly judged decision by ford. The backlash is and will be huge (and embarrassing to Ford)

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