BlueCruise and Road Debris

[Benny’66]

Ok, looking for other members thoughts and experiences with this. I really like BlueCruise for my 4:30am morning commute. BUT, this morning was my fourth event of almost running over something in my highway lane and it was a hair raising experience. The first 15 miles of my 22 mile highway commute is unlit (meaning no light poles), so on overcast rainy mornings, seeing what lies ahead in your lane is hundreds of feet, not thousands.

This morning, a large wooden object, maybe 6 inches tall; 2 feet wide; and, 6 feet long, was laying across my lane. With cat-like reflects, I was able to grab the wheel with both hands, swerve hard left, barely miss this object, and swerve hard right back into my lane. I will say the GTPE handled incredibly during this 75 mph maneuver! After realizing I did not hit this object (still amazed because it must have been only inches), I'm considering not using BlueCruise anymore for my morning commute. I don't use it on the way home because of too many unpredictable drivers and traffic, but I really enjoy it early in the morning when I might only see 10-12 other cars the whole trip.

I don't ever take a hand completely off the wheel (crazy NY law), but touching the wheel with a couple of fingers is far different than having a hand grasping the wheel with control because you have to steer the car. I really like BlueCruise for my mindless morning commute and definitely can feel the difference in applied effort on those mornings when BlueCruise won't activate (happens on occasion) and I actually have to "drive" the car. I think I feel more agitated arriving at work.

So please give feedback. I doubt any version of BlueCruise will ever address road debris.

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[MacherAWD]

I wondered about larger debris, but I have seen shredded truck tires in lane and BC ignores, I take the wheel and move or straddle. That said BC in traffic is the best part I think, even with horrible Mass drivers.

I also wonder about a deer running across the road, or standing, would it alert or avoid?

 

[BalsaDust]

seventeen month into ownership of my MME and right at 10k miles I have tried BC several times and just do not feel comfortable letting the car drive itself.
My recent trip to Cleveland I highligted the fact that BC only keeps you in the lane and does not account for road debris and potholes of which there were plenty I needed to avoid during the trip and only tried it on roads where I can see a long distance without traffic.
If I know the road and traffic is light I will try it on occasion to see if I could get acustomed to it, but to me its not a relaxing drive.

Tony

 

[bshaw]

The basic idea is that Blue cruise uses the cameras to looks for lane markers, and radar to see cars on your left, right and ahead.
Road debris would not come up on the radar, and using the camera to detect debris would generate a lot of false positives.

I’d suggest Waze combined with BC. No guarantees, but if someone ahead of you reports the debris, Waze will give you a heads up with plenty of notice.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I’ll second the use of Waze to beware of road debris. After losing my entire front end to a flying retread, I’m very sensitive to retreads on the road.

As for deer, etc., that’s not so much a BlueCruise feature as it is a part of the collision avoidance system. You can find Mach E pedestrian and bicycle avoidance test videos online. If the deer is moving slowly enough into the lane the car will automatically brake just as it would for a pedestrian. These systems aren’t designed to automatically swerve, only to brake. The car will treat a standing deer like a standing pedestrian and not react. If a deer comes leaping into the road from the woods you’ll just have to hope it is far enough ahead of the car to not hit it.

 

[Maquis]

I won’t drive 75 mph when it’s pitch dark. With or without BC.

 

[Mirak]

Is your complaint about BlueCruise, or highway debris? BC doesn’t detect debris. If you keep experiencing this, put a hand on the wheel?

 

[bshaw]

Is your complaint about BlueCruise, or highway debris? BC doesn’t detect debris. If you keep experiencing this, put a hand on the wheel?

Yea, in all the product descriptions / marketing releases by Ford, I've never seen road debris detection promised as a feature.
In my experience, Blue Cruise functions pretty much exactly as Ford describes. It's in people's heads I guess where they are expecting "Hey, why can't this thing see and react like me?".

 

[Schmedlack]

seventeen month into ownership of my MME and right at 10k miles I have tried BC several times and just do not feel comfortable letting the car drive itself.
My recent trip to Cleveland I highligted the fact that BC only keeps you in the lane and does not account for road debris and potholes of which there were plenty I needed to avoid during the trip and only tried it on roads where I can see a long distance without traffic.
If I know the road and traffic is light I will try it on occasion to see if I could get acustomed to it, but to me its not a relaxing drive.

Tony

Tony, I'm the same as you. I want to be in control and feel safer doing the steering. For me, it's more tiring to watch the road using BC than fully driving my MME myself. When my free trial is over I will not pay to renew the subscription. BC ain't my cup of tea - and I don't like tea either.

 

[DR.J56]

I could not imagine all the issues that could arise from object avoidance. I don’t trust BC to do what its supposed to do now!

 

[Benny’66]

I’ll second the use of Waze to beware of road debris. After losing my entire front end to a flying retread, I’m very sensitive to retreads on the road.

As for deer, etc., that’s not so much a BlueCruise feature as it is a part of the collision avoidance system. You can find Mach E pedestrian and bicycle avoidance test videos online. If the deer is moving slowly enough into the lane the car will automatically brake just as it would for a pedestrian. These systems aren’t designed to automatically swerve, only to brake. The car will treat a standing deer like a standing pedestrian and not react. If a deer comes leaping into the road from the woods you’ll just have to hope it is far enough ahead of the car to not hit it.

I use Waze (with Apple CarPlay) religiously. Unfortunately I was the person who marked this hazard so others would know to expect it. I really wanted to pull over and remove the item from the road, but it was in the far left lane on a 3 lane highway section and by the time I recovers my calmness after making it past it, I was already to far away to back up or run back. Plus, I value my safety far more than to be walking on a dark highway.

 

[Benny’66]

Is your complaint about BlueCruise, or highway debris? BC doesn’t detect debris. If you keep experiencing this, put a hand on the wheel?

Not really a complaint about either, though with the amount of taxes I pay in NY, road debris should be handled better, ha ha.
Just getting feedback from other if anyone has adamantly quit using BC because of this potential risk. BC is working exactly as designed, but sometimes we make individual choices based on those inherent risks. By tomorrow my concerns may be a distant memory (until the 5th time).

 

[Zigma51]

Here a few videos I did testing the blue cruise and auto breaking.
Part 1

Part 2

 

[RickMachE]

That swerving around the item was likely aided by the Mach-Es systems...

 

[Benny’66]

That swerving around the item was likely aided by the Mach-Es systems...

I would agree. Not the initial move to the left to avoid because the car’s systems would not have detected the large item, but I feel like when I started my move back right it assisted to straighten back up in the lane. Definitely the ABS and traction control worked to keep the car from skidding at that speed. But it felt like the quick return to lane center was also assisted. It happens so quickly.

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