BlueCruise is dangerous

[Andy OS WA]

My MME (with adaptive cruise, BC not working at that time) slammed on the brake because it saw a stopped car waiting to make a left turn on the left lane. No car was in front of my MME.

I have had this happen with other vehicles using adaptive cruise control. It happened with my Buick when the other car was in a turn lane and the road was on curving. I have had it happen to with my MME, but it is less pronounced.

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[fathroftigrs]

What's dangerous is car owners not exploring and understanding the settings of their vehicles before driving them. Fine, don't read the manual, but not sitting and going through the settings, then calling the car dangerous, is ridiculous.

What manual?

 

[Andy OS WA]

I have a 23 Cal RT1 with blue cruise. As I am driving down the highway running at the posted speed of 70mph, my car suddenly brakes and slows down significantly. After this scary event has happened several times I have discovered that the blue cruise is picking up a 45mph posted on the frontage road. I stopped using BC for fear of getting rear ended and causing a dangerous condition. I did a quick search with no luck, am I the only one?
[/QUOTE

All of these hands free systems are limited. I don't use blue cruise because it simply doesn't cover the area that I normally drive in. I am still on the trial period and will not subscribe. I will lend this cautionary tale of a Washington case. A drunk driving Tesla decided he would rely on their auto pilot. He is now facing charges for vehicular homicide.

 

[B177y]

What manual?

Online PDF:

https://www.ford.com/support/vehicle/mustang-mach-e/2023/owner-manuals/

Or on the center screen in the settings.

 

[RickMachE]

I work in the AV industry and this is known as “phantom braking”. Hopefully it’s the speed recognition issue y’all mention rather than a possible radar performance or aiming issue. Or even camera.
My previous Tesla M3 (that we traded for our MME) had phantom braking a few times, full hard brake/decel at 80mph in HOV lane—no obstructions or adjacent traffic. Confidence killer. Luckily no one was behind in those instances. Had the radar focal cone (FOV) checked as we believe it tracked an overhead sign, but was not consistently repeatable at that location. Sucks as my wife never used cruise control for the 5 years we had it because of this.
Hopefully that’s not the issue here as phantom braking sure does make you NOT want to use any of it.
Given I’m a new MME owner, I have been looking forward to BC as the Tesla system sucks having to touch the wheel every 20 seconds—why bother.

No, it is not phantom braking.

It is the speed sign recognition feature, which recognizes signs AND uses a database.

You will also find posts where people complain it accelerates to 20mph over the speed limit, another setting.

 

[RickMachE]

What manual?

In the center screen.

In FordPass (was, maybe will be again).

Available at owner.ford.com in PDF and HTML form.

 

[StromSpeed]

No, it is not phantom braking.

It is the speed sign recognition feature, which recognizes signs AND uses a database.

Hope so and definitely shut that off given all kinds of latency issues with processing speeds given vehicle velocity.

 

[Normalprotection]

I have had this happen with other vehicles using adaptive cruise control. It happened with my Buick when the other car was in a turn lane and the road was on curving. I have had it happen to with my MME, but it is less pronounced.

Who are these drama queens? “Slam on the brakes!!” How about the car slows to a safe speed as you attempt to sail at a dangerously high speed through an intersection. Blue Cruise is a good driver. It makes safe choices. If your habit is being a bad one, then it will shock your sensibilities.
I never use it except on the highway.
Why would you even be using BC where there lights and turn lanes? This reeks of u trying to vindicate your bad choices. And blaming car. And software that’s a better driver than u.

 

[rbertonieresr]

I had that happen several times but like using speed zone assist, so I just keep my foot by the accelerator and take control if it starts to slow down unexpectedly. I started doing that after I saw traffic slowing down in front of me, so I changed lanes. As I was changing lanes in front an 18 wheeler, it picked up the slowdown ahead and started breaking right in the middle of the lane change. Talk about scary and one pissed off truck driver. Luckily I was able to gun it and avoid an accident. Long story short, I am always ready to take control of my speed, either in Blue Cruise or when using cruise control.

 

[Normalprotection]

I had that happen several times but like using speed zone assist, so I just keep my foot by the accelerator and take control if it starts to slow down unexpectedly. I started doing that after I saw traffic slowing down in front of me, so I changed lanes. As I was changing lanes in front an 18 wheeler, it picked up the slowdown ahead and started breaking right in the middle of the lane change. Talk about scary and one pissed off truck driver. Luckily I was able to gun it and avoid an accident. Long story short, I am always ready to take control of my speed, either in Blue Cruise or when using cruise control.

I agree. It’s not a self driving vehicle.
But it’s really good.
I was getting my other car repaired (teenage driver was using my BMW) and I showed the autobody owner my Mach-e. He said that he has a lot full of Tesla’s needing repair as the owners had some of the self driving/ sensor driving features fail on them.

So keep the eyes on the road!

 

[Monke]

I have had this happen with other vehicles using adaptive cruise control. It happened with my Buick when the other car was in a turn lane and the road was on curving. I have had it happen to with my MME, but it is less pronounced.

Thanks for the information. It happened on a straight local highway. With all unexpected challenging behaviors from my MME, I have been prepared for anything so I was very fast to hit the accelerator pedal.

 

[Scott Libre]

I wasn't trying to exaggerate, I just wasn't prepared for that to happen. Maybe my reflexes aren't as crisp has yours, Im 78 yrs old. Dallas TX traffic is heavy and fast.

I tripped through Dallas a few months ago. The traffic there is a nightmare. I use Bluecruise often, but in certain circumstances, heavy traffic, rain, narrow highways and extreme curves in the road, I turn it off.

 

[thekat03]

I wasn't trying to exaggerate, I just wasn't prepared for that to happen. Maybe my reflexes aren't as crisp has yours, Im 78 yrs old. Dallas TX traffic is heavy and fast.

Honestly, it's not that Bluecruise is dangerous. It's drivers who drive too close to the car in front of them to be able to safely slow down if the car in front of them is slowing for any reason.

 

[AliRafiee]

I wasn't trying to exaggerate, I just wasn't prepared for that to happen. Maybe my reflexes aren't as crisp has yours, Im 78 yrs old. Dallas TX traffic is heavy and fast.

Dallas traffic is fast. I lived there for 30 years before I moved to Seattle. Every time I visit it drives me nuts that people get pissed at me for doing 75 in a 60.
I use it every time I’m on the highway here. In the city it’s usually stop and go. It’s best in one of the middle lanes. Once out of the city, it just goes.

 

[milepost1]

I hate Bluecruise and will never use it.

There problem solved.

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