BlueCruise v1 is a Let Down

[Guss-E 2021]

The main problem with BlueCruise is that it goes in and out, without seemingly much rhyme or reason. Maybe the lane lines aren't marked completely clearly in one section or there's a slight blip in GPS coordinates. Whatever the case, I don't think I've had a BlueCruise session on for longer than 3-5 minutes. And this is in the SF Bay Area where presumably they've been doing testing for years and years now.

First off, thank you for this post. I've been meaning to start a similar thread for a while now. I have BlueCruise free until 05/25/25. I live in NH on the coast. Took a 90 mile drive up north yesterday. BC took me the first 25 miles (30 minutes) without interruption. In fact, the only reason it didn't work past the 30 minute mark is because I turned it off when one highway merged into the next. There was road construction at the merge that changed the historic traffic patter. I was 100% it would confuse the car. Once I merged onto the other highway, BC kicked back on and took me through the next 20+ miles in pretty heavy traffic. I still think it is half baked and not worth actually paying for but when it works (stays engaged), it works well (enough). Though, from what I hear, GM's Super Cruise is much better. Better than even Tesla's expensive option.

The other problem with it is that I really haven't noticed any functional differences between it and the Lane Keep Assist feature. Yes it lane centers and does adaptive cruise control just like Lane Keep Assist, but it has the same foibles, including sometimes getting too close to the outside lane line, taking (subjectively) the less safe line on turns, not leaving enough space for cars merging into my lane, etc. For such a big name and marketing change the differences in the actual brains of the feature, if any, are incredibly subtle.

Well it does allow you to let go of the steering wheel completely without yelling at you. But yes, beyond that, not much difference from active lane assist. And yes, it does seem to pull to the right (when the lower tier requires you to hold the wheel). On that that lower tier, I wish there was an option to go between simple lane and assist and full hands free (when the screen is all blue vs just the blue circle around the car icon). That middling option is really annoying. I mean what is the point of the car steering if I have to hold the wheel too? I just end up fighting with my car (we have different driving styles ). I think when BC loses confidence, the car should actually speak "please take control of the wheel Mr. Bond" (okay the Mr. Bond part might be a bit much).

Add to that the fact that it's highway only, no lane changing, no easy way to see in car what parts of a trip are BlueCruise enabled, and it just seems to be a really half baked feature that maximum allows me to take my hands off the steering wheel for a couple of minutes at a time.

Hopefully it gets better over time, but if I were to make the choice all over again, I would definitely skip BlueCruise.

TL;DR: BlueCruise turns off too frequently, adds almost nothing to Lane Keep Assist, and is nowhere close to Tesla's FSD.

From what I understand, BC eligible roadway has to be pre-mapped in some way. Honestly, I need to do a much deeper dive into the technology. I don't understand exactly how the car "sees" the world (LIDAR? Cameras + AI/machine learning? Lasers? All of the above?). Just when I think it is about the lines on the road, BC handles a stretch of newly paved road with no lines just fine. Other times when the lines practically glow in the dark, BC cuts out (WTF). I have come to recognize the scenarios that throw BC off and am always prepared to take over. This makes BC a team effort between car and drive and not true hands free driving. So yes, half baked.

I hope it gets better over time too without becoming too expensive (how much is it by the way?) or requiring too much extra equipment. Equipment that might add weight and be really expensive to fix if it fails.

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[KevinS]

My experience has been the same as has been commented on here quite a bit. I feel like my vehicle needs to have its cameras re-aligned, because my car hugs the right line way too close for comfort. I have to correct it all the time but it clearly isn't adaptive on its own.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

If you compare it to a 10k Tesla option yeah you will be disappointed. Its pretty much been advertised as the adaptive cruise control but you can take your hands off the wheel. I just got it last week and its exactly what i thought it was. I noticed it shut off on me in areas of very tight curve (which i heard it does) and also in areas i knew where very recently finished construction projects. Probably not programmed yet. Lane changing is supposedly coming soon. It does straddle the line to the right more then i would like, but I only feel comfortable with BC on with not alot of cars around anyway. I like it so far, have a trip in a few weeks and will be nice to have this option. I have it free for year, so ill see then if ill pay the $600.

Adaptive cruise control can't negotiate a turn though. So it is a little bit beyond that. And yah, what's up with the tight curve issue? This is where I really need to look into how the technology works. Mine pulls to the right as well. I've had no issues with it in heavy traffic but I would like to know if the car actively monitoring the vehicles next to me with its parking assist tech. Is that $600 a one-time spend or is it a subscription?

 

[Guss-E 2021]

I think it very heavily depends on what routes you'll be regularly taking/counting on it working. My route to work and all the freeways I drive for errands, friends, etc. work flawlessly here in Southern California.

For my route to work, I literally get on the freeway, turn it on and don't touch the wheel but for when I come up to the toll booth, as it disengages there, and then it reengages about 100 feet past the toll booth and I don't touch the wheel again until I have to exit the freeway. It is insanely amazing for me and super useful.

This leads me to wonder if any kind of "learning" is involved in the system. My commute is only 12 miles with about 8-9 miles of highway. The stretch of highway is essentially straight. BC has zero issues with that part of my drive (no ping ponging). I also find it reengages quite quickly after a lane change.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

After reading most of the posts, I'm wondering if I'm having better luck with BC because mine was installed and active on my car from day one. I have a 2022 Premium built in April 2022. I did not have to wait for a BC OTA update or dealer installation (not sure how it is added to a 2021 model).

BC has worked well enough for me. Of course I'm not paying for it. Free trial until 05/25/25. So that makes me less critical. NH highways are not as crazy as urban areas as well. Though I-95 up from Boston into Maine can get crazy on summer weekends.

Great thread.

 

[newmme]

GM's Super Cruise is much better. Better than even Tesla's expensive option.

Can you elaborate? I did not know GM Supercruise worked in city driving with stop lights and unprotected left turns. This would be fantastic if Supercruise did that (I have not been keeping up)! Any videos would be awesome to see.

 

[RickMachE]

After reading most of the posts, I'm wondering if I'm having better luck with BC because mine was installed and active on my car from day one. I have a 2022 Premium built in April 2022. I did not have to wait for a BC OTA update or dealer installation (not sure how it is added to a 2021 model).

BC has worked well enough for me. Of course I'm not paying for it. Free trial until 05/25/25. So that makes me less critical. NH highways are not as crazy as urban areas as well. Though I-95 up from Boston into Maine can get crazy on summer weekends.

Great thread.

Just so you are clear, you have no "free trial". Job 1 2021 cars paid $600 less than you did, and were supposed to pay $600 for 3 years when they got BlueCruise. Instead, they got a year free due to the rollout delay. They got it via 6 - 8 OTA updates or at the dealer (I got mine at the dealer in late April).

You paid $600 for 3 years. Nothing free, no trial.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

Just so you are clear, you have no "free trial". Job 1 2021 cars paid $600 less than you did, and were supposed to pay $600 for 3 years when they got BlueCruise. Instead, they got a year free due to the rollout delay. They got it via 6 - 8 OTA updates or qt the dealer (I got mine at the dealer in late April).

You paid $600 for 3 years. Nothing free, no trial.

Hmm, so I obviously misinterpreted the language here (see images below). Where would I find the $600 charge? Under options? Or is that baked into the price of my trim? So you pay to try it is what you are saying?

 

[Guss-E 2021]

Can you elaborate? I did not know GM Supercruise worked in city driving with stop lights and unprotected left turns. This would be fantastic if Supercruise did that (I have not been keeping up)! Any videos would be awesome to see.

Yes sorry. I say apparently better because I watched a towing video involving an ICE GMC Sierra and F-150 Lightning. The opinions of the guys in the video were that GM's Supercruise is a better system than BC, at least while towing. Ford won't let you go hands free when towing. Supercruise does and apparently handles having something in tow pretty well.

 

[RickMachE]

Hmm, so I obviously misinterpreted the language here (see images below). Where would I find the $600 charge? Under options? Or is that baked into the price of my trim? So you pay to try it is what you are saying?

To find out what you paid for, start with your window sticker.

You didn't pay to try it. You bought a feature with a 3 year subscription on it. In 3 years, if you don't renew for the rate(s) / period(s) offered (no one knows what those will be), it will downgrade. Or, Ford will provide it for free due to competitive pressures as they did with earlier features set to expire in 3 or 5 years. No one knows what the future brings.

A Job 2 2021 or a 2022 says "BlueCruise" on the window sticker. The price went up $600 around April 2021 for job 2 vehicles.

A Job 1 2021 says "Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 Prep Package" in the window sticker.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

To find out what you paid for, start with your window sticker.

You didn't pay to try it. You bought a feature with a 3 year subscription on it. In 3 years, if you don't renew for the rate(s) / period(s) offered (no one knows what those will be), it will downgrade. Or, Ford will provide it for free due to competitive pressures as they did with earlier features set to expire in 3 or 5 years. No one knows what the future brings.

A Job 2 2021 or a 2022 says "BlueCruise" on the window sticker. The price went up $600 around April 2021 for job 2 vehicles.

A Job 1 2021 says "Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 Prep Package" in the window sticker.

Ah, got it. Thank you. Well shit if I did pay for it I guess I'll be more critical going forward. You don't happen to have Jim Farely's cellphone number on you?

 

[Guss-E 2021]

To find out what you paid for, start with your window sticker.

You didn't pay to try it. You bought a feature with a 3 year subscription on it. In 3 years, if you don't renew for the rate(s) / period(s) offered (no one knows what those will be), it will downgrade. Or, Ford will provide it for free due to competitive pressures as they did with earlier features set to expire in 3 or 5 years. No one knows what the future brings.

A Job 2 2021 or a 2022 says "BlueCruise" on the window sticker. The price went up $600 around April 2021 for job 2 vehicles.

A Job 1 2021 says "Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 Prep Package" in the window sticker.

Um.....

 

[RickMachE]

Yup. No extra charge. They raised the price of the vehicle $600 and gave you no choice, standard equipment with a 2022 Premium. All that other stuff is also free. You are a lucky guy.

Oh, and you also paid $2,595 more than a job 2 2021, or $3,195 more than a job 1 2021, because you are so special.

Congrats!

Note - prices corrected.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

Yup. No extra charge. They raised the price of the vehicle $600 and gave you no choice, standard equipment with a 2022 Premium. All that other stuff is also free. You are a lucky guy.

Oh, and you also paid $2,595 more than a job 2 2021, or $3,195 more than a job 1 2021, because you are so special.

Congrats!

Note - prices corrected.

Actually, my original order in June 2021 was for $56,640. I was bumped to a 2022 model and chose to add the Cyber Orange paint for $795.00 and interior mats for $240 for a final price increase of $2,190 ($58,830). Ford gave me a $750 credit for the model year price increase, reducing my increase to only $1,440. Net out the options and I only paid a whopping $405 more for my car because I am so special.

 

[RickMachE]

Actually, my original order in June 2021 was for $56,640. I was bumped to a 2022 model and chose to add the Cyber Orange paint for $795.00 and interior mats for $240 for a final price increase of $2,190 ($58,830). Ford gave me a $750 credit for the model year price increase, reducing my increase to only $1,440. Net out the options and I only paid a whopping $405 more for my car because I am so special.

I ordered a 2021 in May for $57,040 including the Rapid Red Metallic paint ($400), and interior protection package ($240). This became a 2022, I dropped the interior protection package, and was stickered for $59,395.

Because I used A-Plan, my order was for $55,077. My 2022 came in at $55,428, less $750 credit, total of $54,678. If you remove $250 for the dropped package, I paid less than what I ordered for a car with a $3,195 higher MSRP. And the original 0.9% financing for 4 years.

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