BlueCruise 1.5 Will Not Becoming to Earlier Models

[Trick.Mach-E]

I’m not surprised. I can’t remember if this was explicitly stated before but somehow I feel like it was telegraphed that we weren’t likely to get future versions.

I'm almost as mad about BC 1.5 not coming to my First Edition as I was when I found out iOS 18 was not coming to my iPhone 4.

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[Thesmoothdome]

I'm betting that with the initial impressions of BC that those of us with '21s had, there isn't much of a demand among the OG crowd to pay for a subscription. I know I wasn't wowed at all.

 

[mdolan92869]

After 50 years of driving, the automatic lane change kind of gets in the way. I've got too much muscle memory built up and I do the MSMOG, hit the stalk and start changing. Blue Cruise starts crying that it has to cancel its lane change.

But I like the hands free on long drives, like from Orange County to Visalia a month ago. That was real nice not having to constantly have my hands on the wheel.

 

[fawzib]

Will it be coming to the 23’s?

No, you only get 1 update max. So 1.3 and that's it. After 2 years you won't get updates for the car but you are free to still pay for subscription

 

[RickMachE]

After 50 years of driving, the automatic lane change kind of gets in the way. I've got too much muscle memory built up and I do the MSMOG, hit the stalk and start changing. Blue Cruise starts crying that it has to cancel its lane change.

But I like the hands free on long drives, like from Orange County to Visalia a month ago. That was real nice not having to constantly have my hands on the wheel.

I hear you.

With the lane change that has to be initiated by the driver in 1.3 and 1.4 (I have Mach-E and Lightning), I find it near useless. First, by the time it notices the car in front is going slower and I could pass, I've initiated it. Then, it's way too slow to make the change, and if a car is coming - I know I can hit the pedal and make it, but it chickens out.

I wouldn't pay a dime for BC 1.4 over 1.3/1.4.

 

[bigbearvo]

Ok, let’s get real. Bluecruise is great, it serves a purpose, but it also allows for way too much distracted driving. If I were using it, I would consider it to be inherently dangerous and therefore would need to heighten my overall awareness and proceed with utmost caution. I’ll say this, even if I were an avid user, which could happen if I found it to be safe and dependable, I would be extremely disappointed with Ford’s whole marketing approach to semi-autonomous driving. First, they charge too much, way too much. Second, they did not make sure it was backward/forward compatible by including adequate hardware to accommodate future upgrades of basic functionality and safety, not to mention any significant feature set that drivers would find valuable. This has led to my 2024 GT being limited to 1.4 with no chance of any future upgrades. BC 1.5 is the version that should have been introduced upon initial rollout, with future compatible hardware pre-installed. Ford needs serious work in the development, marketing and deployment of major software dependent features like BlueCruise 1.5. And, they need to offer it standard on the Premium and GT models. So, I will not be a BlueCruise customer, since the software and hardware in my 2024 is not capable of the matching what GM and Tesla already make available. If Ford wanted BC to be a highly desired option, they should have done it right from the get-go.

 

[SonicBlue]

I'm almost as mad about BC 1.5 not coming to my First Edition as I was when I found out iOS 18 was not coming to my iPhone 4.

This is a fair point. I’m not terribly surprised or upset that I won’t be getting further upgrades to BC. And, truthfully, I wasn’t going to re-up my subscription anyway at the end of 2026. Not at the current pricing.

The automatic lane changes look so delayed and tentative that I would probably turn that feature off, anyway, just like I don’t use speed limit recognition because there are too many false readings.

The only bit I’m really disappointed about is that we probably also won’t get the new IPC graphics and layout. I really like that. But would I pay $20k+ to “upgrade” from my 21 to a 25 for that? Lol no. I would not.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

I was thinking this week how I have not seen an update of any kind come through lately. I mean it is not like the Mach-E is the perfect marriage of hardware and software; i.e. there is plenty of room for improvement.

I guess it is too early in the "connect car" or "software defined vehicle" era to expect regular "stability and improvement" updates like phone apps get. I've got the lane change thingy in my '22. The system is okay, bit of a nervous nelly (which I suppose is better than the adverse).

This forum is full of pragmatic suggestions for improvements to the UI. Just too bad nobody at Ford seems interested in that. Instead we get......karaoke.

 

[Mach1E]

I was thinking this week how I have not seen an update of any kind come through lately. I mean it is not like the Mach-E is the perfect marriage of hardware and software; i.e. there is plenty of room for improvement.

I guess it is too early in the "connect car" or "software defined vehicle" era to expect regular "stability and improvement" updates like phone apps get. I've got the lane change thingy in my '22. The system is okay, bit of a nervous nelly (which I suppose is better than the adverse).

This forum is full of pragmatic suggestions for improvements to the UI. Just too bad nobody at Ford seems interested in that. Instead we get......karaoke.

It’s called “planned obsolescence.” Apple has been king of that game for years.

If the “old” model keeps getting updated to be as good as the new one…… why would you buy the new one?

 

[Guss-E 2021]

It’s called “planned obsolescence.” Apple has been king of that game for years.

If the “old” model keeps getting updated to be as good as the new one…… why would you buy the new one?

Of course you are right which begs the question: Why bother bragging about OTA as a saleable feature in the first place then.

 

[Sikkun]

Instead we get......karaoke.

Because Ford didn’t develop karaoke. You too could develop an Android app with a subscription model, get enough subscribers, and then pay Ford to put it in their vehicles for a cut of the action.

 

[Mach1E]

Of course you are right which begs the question: Why bother bragging about OTA as a saleable feature in the first place then.

Because we did get some meaningful updates for about 3 years.

It’s better than my wife’s Lincoln Aviator. Had to had the dealer install or manually log in, format a thumb drive, download the updates and then install myself. With no notice on when updates are available and you are limited on how many times you can get the updates.

 

[E90alex]

Of course you are right which begs the question: Why bother bragging about OTA as a saleable feature in the first place then.

OTA is still a feature. No one ever promised updates forever or that old cars will always have feature parity with new cars. That’s literally impossible as hardware continues to improve over time to enable new capabilities.

Even Tesla who is the king of OTA updates have abandoned older hardware multiple times with new features and updates so it’s not just Ford.

With anything you buy these days that claim to be updatable, be sure you’re happy with the features and functions of whatever you buy at the time you buy it. If you don’t like how it works then don’t buy it yet. Don’t buy things on the promise of future function.

 

[devmach-e]

Of course you are right which begs the question: Why bother bragging about OTA as a saleable feature in the first place then.

Because OTA updates aren't always about giving you new features/capabilities. Sometimes it is about delivering needed fixes.

 

[Sikkun]

All these arguments about how you shouldn’t expect a 4 year old car (and also 1 year old still being sold 24’s are also getting nothing….) to get an update would be more valid if someone could explain what hardware limitation stops 21-24 from getting auto lane change when 1.3 already has all the features required to do it.

But comparing 50k cars still on dealer lots to a 15 year old iPhone that literally received updates for longer than the Mach E has been out is a choice.

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