BlueCruise 1.5 test review by Motor Trend

[Nikos]

As a Motor Trend subscriber I read the latest article, email, about BC 1.5. Lots of changes and improvements from 1.4.

Test review: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/...5-is-an-even-better-hands-free-driving-system


Has anyone waiting or received notice for this OTA update???
Ford hasn’t released any details or any updates. Hopefully we know more.

Sponsored

 

[GrayWolf]

@Mach-E VLOG posted their video on this today - give it a watch, if you haven't already.



To answer the question about OTA - I haven't seen anyone here posting about this going out OTA yet.

Quick edit: comments on the above video from viewers and the Mach-E Vlog team seem to suggest that this might be dependent on hardware changes that might have been only included on the 2025 model year cars.

 

[Magnamover]

"BlueCruise 1.5 has upgraded ADAS hardware and more computing power, so vehicles with older BlueCruise software cannot be updated to the newest version" per Car and Driver

 

[SonicBlue]

Looks cool. I like the new IPC layout. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this trickles down to earlier models. I’ve not seen any confirmation from Ford that the 25s have different ADAS hardware. Ford wants to sell BC. If they can push it to earlier models, they likely will at some point. But no way would I upgrade from my 21 just for this. Nice little enhancement but nothing earth shattering over BC1.3.

 

[Scooby24]

Have it in our 2025. It's solid. I appreciate that it will initiate the lane change for me with slower traffic and go back to the right lane when safe to do so. Seems to stay engaged longer than earlier versions too.

 

[Nikos]

Looks cool. I like the new IPC layout. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this trickles down to earlier models. I’ve not seen any confirmation from Ford that the 25s have different ADAS hardware. Ford wants to sell BC. If they can push it to earlier models, they likely will at some point. But no way would I upgrade from my 21 just for this. Nice little enhancement but nothing earth shattering over BC1.3.

I wholeheartedly agree.
No need to upgrade my 21 MME just for that. Let us hope.

 

[Jeff-NoVA]

As a Motor Trend subscriber I read the latest article, email, about BC 1.5. Lots of changes and improvements from 1.4.
Has anyone waiting or received notice for this OTA update???
Ford hasn’t released any details or any updates. Hopefully we know more.

C'mon man, you know the rules: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/...5-is-an-even-better-hands-free-driving-system

 

[Nikos]

C'mon man, you know the rules: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/...5-is-an-even-better-hands-free-driving-system

Sorry. You’re right. I didn’t post the link.

 

[Vulnox]

I like the 1.5 quite a bit, we have used it on a few longer drives and the auto lane change is nice. It seems to do it when the car ahead is at least 3 MPH slower than your set speed. At one point I got behind someone and they were doing 1-2 slower and it didn't pass. It got me curious so I bumped up the set speed until it initiated a pass, which if I recall was when I went two higher than my set speed (so 4 MPH higher than they were traveling).

I am glad it has a buffer like that, as passing someone at 1-2 MPH is annoying as hell.

Really though, the IPC improvements are in some ways bigger for me. They show it a little bit in the article, but you see how it tells you clearly what it's doing and why? It does that for even just around town cruise control/lane centering. Instead of just random beeps when it loses a lane marker or whatever, it actually says why lane centering is temporarily unavailable, "Loss of lane condition" and stuff like that.

I hope even if the hardware changes don't let 1.5 carry forward that the new IPC does, because the layout, text feedback, I like everything about it more than our 2022 we turned in for the 2025.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Still not paying for it. I don’t have BC anymore and my car is barely 7 months old. Way to go, Ford.

 

[Aubury]

"BlueCruise 1.5 has upgraded ADAS hardware and more computing power, so vehicles with older BlueCruise software cannot be updated to the newest version" per Car and Driver

What are we paying Ford all these monthly fees for if we won't ever get any hands-free supported road expansions or improved driving models? God I hate all this subscription model bs automotive is moving towards.

 

[rugedraw]

Really though, the IPC improvements are in some ways bigger for me. They show it a little bit in the article, but you see how it tells you clearly what it's doing and why? It does that for even just around town cruise control/lane centering. Instead of just random beeps when it loses a lane marker or whatever, it actually says why lane centering is temporarily unavailable, "Loss of lane condition" and stuff like that.

I hope even if the hardware changes don't let 1.5 carry forward that the new IPC does, because the layout, text feedback, I like everything about it more than our 2022 we turned in for the 2025.

The 2025 has a different IPC from 21-24 models, so I highly doubt it will trickle down to the 21-24 models in terms of them making it look like that with software alone.

2025 also has a different SCCM and a different IPMA with a 5th strategy location. With that said, I don't think the hardware in the older models is incapable of auto lane change, but we will just have to wait and see if Ford does release it at some point.

 

[Mach-Lee]

FYI I also have a review of BlueCruise 1.5 if you wanted to take a look:

BlueCruise 1.5 Review - Mach-Lee

 

[slider162]

The 2025 has a different IPC from 21-24 models, so I highly doubt it will trickle down to the 21-24 models in terms of them making it look like that with software alone.

2025 also has a different SCCM and a different IPMA with a 5th strategy location. With that said, I don't think the hardware in the older models is incapable of auto lane change, but we will just have to wait and see if Ford does release it at some point.

We get an indication that "Lane Change is Possible", there is zero reason why Ford can't just initiate the lane change.

 

[creedda]

"BlueCruise 1.5 has upgraded ADAS hardware and more computing power, so vehicles with older BlueCruise software cannot be updated to the newest version" per Car and Driver

If true I wonder if ford will take the tesla route and allow owners to upgrade their hardware to stay relevant?

My guess is no, but I'm sure its possible.

Also don't understand why BC is a subscription if we are paying for development of features we are not going to get.

Sponsored