BlueCruise Usage Skyrockets 88%

[GJTBOW]

This really surprises me —I totally hated using it.

Sponsored

 

[dtbaker61]

BlueCruise Usage Skyrockets 88% as F-150 Drivers Lead the Hands-Free Charge

January 27, 2026

I don't think this is a good thing. It scares me to think of people using hands-free driving sharing the highway with me while taking a long trip on unfamiliar highways.

It especially scares me when considering the number of times my front camera blinks off adaptive cruise when hitting a highway seam between pavement and a bridge.

I would also hate to pay for all the extra technology I will never use, and I sure as heck will never pay for connected services if there is a subscription fee.

I hope that BC, and other connected services continue to be "options" that can be avoided when buying a Ford.... I like the performance, but NOT the extra tech at higher cost. I'd suggest that Ford do some polling of existing owners and ask:
a. how often do you use BC and other assisting driving features ?
b. have the features been reliable enough to make you feel safe ?
c. what would you be willing to pay initially to have the tech available (discounted if NOT installed). 0-1000, 1000-2000, etc.
d. what would you be willing to pay monthly to subscribe to connected "driver assist" services ?

 

[music_cities]

I don't think this is a good thing. It scares me to think of people using hands-free driving sharing the highway with me while taking a long trip on unfamiliar highways.

It especially scares me when considering the number of times my front camera blinks off adaptive cruise when hitting a highway seam between pavement and a bridge.

I would also hate to pay for all the extra technology I will never use, and I sure as heck will never pay for connected services if there is a subscription fee.

I hope that BC, and other connected services continue to be "options" that can be avoided when buying a Ford.... I like the performance, but NOT the extra tech at higher cost. I'd suggest that Ford do some polling of existing owners and ask:
a. how often do you use BC and other assisting driving features ?
b. have the features been reliable enough to make you feel safe ?
c. what would you be willing to pay initially to have the tech available (discounted if NOT installed). 0-1000, 1000-2000, etc.
d. what would you be willing to pay monthly to subscribe to connected "driver assist" services ?

a) every day
b) yes
c) maybe $3000
d) maybe $50

 

[Guss]

I hate subscriptions; Blue Cruise should be included with the high price of new vehicles these days. According to AAA, the average price of a new car is $50,000. I won't pay for Blue Cruise.

 

[awp0]

Mine runs out in July. I'll pay the rate that was in place when I bought the car ($200/yr).

Since then they've quadrupled the subscription price and then later they reduced it down to a "mere" 250% of the initial price. I'm not supporting these bait-and-switch tactics.

FWIW, it works really well and I use it on longer trips, but $50/month (or $500/yr) is just absurd.

 

[Mach1E]

I hate subscriptions; Blue Cruise should be included with the high price of new vehicles these days. According to AAA, the average price of a new car is $50,000. I won't pay for Blue Cruise.

If they included it in the price, you would pay for it.

Sounds like you’d actually rather have it the way it is now and have the ability to opt NOT to pay for it.

 

[Jimrpa]

I love BlueCruise and use it whenever possible. I don’t mind that it’s a subscription service, but like the idea of “one-time, long-term” subscriptions.

 

[Citizen0]

I'm of two minds about this. I come from a 30-year IT background, so that definitely colors my views.

I believe subscriptions, if used correctly and not just as "cash grabs", are extremely beneficial to developers. It gives them a known "base" to work from so they can continue making our favorite software better.

But that's where the rub comes in. From my understanding and the software released so far, the only electric vehicle to receive BlueCruise 1.5 or later will be the 2025+ Mach E.

So what are the owners of vehicles model 2024 or older paying for exactly? As others have said, we paid a significant amount for the Package that included BlueCruise and some of us have started paying monthly or annual fees to continue using BlueCruise.

Presumably we cannot receive any updates that the development team is working on due to these older model year vehicles lacking the necessary hardware.

To make matters worse for Lightning owners, there is never an ability to gain access to the features of BlueCruise 1.5+.

So while I do understand and believe in the value of subscriptions under specific circumstances, I cannot understand the continued fee for BlueCruise 1.4 vehicles. If anything we are subsidizing owners of BlueCruise 1.5+ vehicles.

There needs to be a hardware upgrade path or BlueCruise for 1.4 and older vehicles should be free.

Another thing to note is that to my knowledge Ford has never announced any addition to the mapped road database. These improvements would theoretically expand the usefulness of all BlueCruise users.

Having said all that, I cannot imagine life without BlueCruise. 40 of my daily 45 mile commute is mapped Interstate, and many friends live 3+ hours away, but also on mapped roads. I've literally been on the road for 3+ hours without having to make any physical intervention other than to begin an auto-lane change to pass or move over. Where I live BlueCruise works incredibly well.

 

[4sallypat]

I love BC for my road trips!

Coming up on my 3 year mark, when BC would normally expire and was considering paying for it - I got a surprise message on my Ford Pass app: 1 extra year at no cost!

Well I am tickled and super happy!

 

[kodiakng]

I love BC for my road trips!

Coming up on my 3 year mark, when BC would normally expire and was considering paying for it - I got a surprise message on my Ford Pass app: 1 extra year at no cost!

Well I am tickled and super happy!

while i'm not nearly as excited as you - i was also coming up on my trial ending and noticed this same offer in my app. i do use it on longer trips but i'm 2-3 hours away from the closest mapped roads so not a frequent option but ford is bargaining hard on this one.

ford found my price point.

 

[AZBill]

here needs to be a hardware upgrade path or BlueCruise for 1.4 and older vehicles should be free.

Another thing to note is that to my knowledge Ford has never announced any addition to the mapped road database. These improvements would theoretically expand the usefulness of all BlueCruise users.

Or they could make the subscription a lot cheaper for the older cars. Also, the increase in mapped roads would not require any hardware upgrade, nor would it require BC 1.5. I have owned my MME since 2021 and in that time have only seen one very small expansion of mapped roads in my area. That occurred at least two years ago.

My GM vehicle went from 400K miles to 750K miles last year with one map update. GM has advertised moving to 1.2M miles in the future. Meanwhile, Ford is stuck at 130k miles.

I am currently on the $600 for 3 year subscription. When it runs out I will not renew if it stays the way it is.

 

[Snakebitten]

I'm VERY disappointed with my brand new 2025 GMC Supercruise.

I've been driving Ford Bluecruise equipped vehicles for 5 years now. (F150 Powerboost and Mach-E) in January of 2024, I was able to load 1.4 on the truck, and the Mach-E came with 1.3(?). And while most folks, when discussing Bluecruise, they almost always mean "Hands free" mode. But my personal opinion is that anytime my Bluecruise equipped vehicle is using Adaptive Cruise Control, combined with Lane Centering, I am experiencing Ford's Bluecruise software stack running on Fords driving assist hardware. And the experience is/was great every single day. Even my daily 50 mile round trip commute was 80% hands-on Bluecruise. It doesn't take much paint on the road to kick on Lane Centering.

Enter the new fully dolled up GMC Sierra EV Denali. I'm excited to experience Supercruise because I have heard others herald it's attributes, often citing it as superior to Bluecruise. And maybe it is in Hands-free mode. I wouldn't know yet because I haven't yet hit a road that engages it. What I do know though is that I only RARELY experience Supercruise being available in hands-on mode, even on the very roads that Bluecruise is always satisfied with the road markings.

The most dissapointing thing is that the truck will NOT enable Lane Centering unless conditions meet some minimum standard that I can't discern myself personally.

And since I'm ranting on what otherwise is an impressive vehicle to operate, I am forever stunned that GM stuffed enough battery under the truck to light up the small town I live in, yet they didn't include one single 120V outlet inside the cabin! Not one. Not even a 400 watt?

There's 7.2KW of 240/120 volt outlets in the bed and the Frunk. You can power a welder from outside the cabin, but you can't charge a laptop from inside.

Anyways, I know it's not too popular to speak highly of Ford's Bluecruise. And while there's plenty of room for constructive criticism, having both Bluecruise and Supercruise simultaneously in the family fleet, I much prefer Ford's implementation for day to day non hands free driving. With Ford I get to enjoy the technology on almost any road with paint or some contrast on the tarmac. Apparently with Supercruise I have to be on a highway or freeway or interstate to satisfy the minimum requirements for Lane Centering to be available.

 

[davegram]

This 100%, I would gladly pay $25 a month or $200 a year but ford seems happy to get nothing from me than something.

Yeah, I think I'd do $200/year, but at $500/year it's not really for me.

Sponsored