BlueCruise vs Driver Assistance- what is going on behind the curtain?

[Scottie’s MachStang]

Do any of the technical people here know - what is the difference (in terms of what the vehicle is actually doing) between Driver Assistance and Blue Cruise.

from the drivers seat, the biggest difference that I notice is way more “nanny” moments- like when I am checking mirrors in preparation for a lane change.

Scottie

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[corradoborg]

What are you defining as "driver assistance"? Because BlueCruise is a type of driver assistance.
Are you asking about the difference between adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist vs. hands-off BlueCruise? If so, the car is doing exactly the same things with both. The only difference is when the car is in full hands-off mode it isn't watching for torque input to the steering wheel.

 

[Snakebitten]

^^^ yep

Except, Lane Centering, I believe you meant. Rather than lane keeping.

 

[Scottie’s MachStang]

That was exactly what I was asking. Difference between blue snowman and blue screen.

I know what the difference “is” in terms of hands on or off the wheel.

I was looking to see if anyone had a more technical understanding of how the vehicle is behaving under each setting. Or, what is the difference between the two systems.

from the drivers seat, the biggest difference i notice is the under BlueCruise I get a lot more “nanny notices” - eyes on the road, grab the wheel, etc.

Hope that explains it better.

 

[AliRafiee]

Both BC modes are virtually the same. The only difference is that the hands free version is only on approved roads (interstates)

 

[RickMachE]

Correct. Hands on vs. hands off.

 

[Sikkun]

Both BC modes are virtually the same. The only difference is that the hands free version is only on approved roads (interstates)

If hands free is actually using mapping data as opposed to just using gps as bounding box that allows hands free…then they can’t be identical.

Though I don’t think anyone has proven it is actually using mapped data.

 

[corradoborg]

If hands free is actually using mapping data as opposed to just using gps as bounding box that allows hands free…then they can’t be identical.

Though I don’t think anyone has proven it is actually using mapped data.

It’s not using GPS to steer the car, if that’s what you’re getting at. Consumer level GPS isn’t precise enough for that.
it uses the camera in the windshield to track lane lines and centers the car within those lines. This is why hands-free BlueCruise often doesn’t work in the dawn and dusk hours when the sun is glaring directly into the camera, or when precipitation makes the lane lines difficult for the system to parse.

the answer to the OP’s question is the car’s systems behave exactly the same way in both adaptive cruise control with lane centering assist mode and in hands-free BlueCruise mode, with the exception of not expecting driver input to the steering wheel while in hands-free.

The system may have a slightly higher “nanny” setting for hands-free mode, but if so it’s not a huge difference. I get warnings to keep my eyes on the road in both modes with about the same frequency. Usually, it’s because I actually had taken my eyes off the road for a while. I don’t typically get a lot of false alarms where it thinks I’m not paying attention when I actually was. Maybe once a month.

 

[Sikkun]

It’s not using GPS to steer the car, if that’s what you’re getting at. Consumer level GPS isn’t precise enough for that.

People claim that there is mapping data being used to enhance Bluecruise, which requires Ford to map the roads they enable blue cruise on.

Or if things work as you claim, blue cruise requires no mapping, and they just geofence you being on the interstate for it to be hands free.
But if that’s true, why have parts of the interstate it doesn’t work on yet?

 

[AjzRide]

People claim that there is mapping data being used to enhance Bluecruise, which requires Ford to map the roads they enable blue cruise on.

Or if things work as you claim, blue cruise requires no mapping, and they just geofence you being on the interstate for it to be hands free.
But if that’s true, why have parts of the interstate it doesn’t work on yet?

I can provide hours of canbus data comparing hands on versus hands free and empirically prove that there is no control difference between the two. The enhanced GPS is for the geofence, they can tell if you are in the main lane or an exit lane. Perhaps in the future hands free will grow significantly beyond’s hands on, but it is not there yet.

as for why it doesn’t work on some interstates… Ford only enables it on sections that they have enough data to feel confident in the lane centering success rate. Good lane markings, no construction, no really bad pot holes, etc.

 

[Jimrpa]

Do any of the technical people here know - what is the difference (in terms of what the vehicle is actually doing) between Driver Assistance and Blue Cruise.

from the drivers seat, the biggest difference that I notice is way more “nanny” moments- like when I am checking mirrors in preparation for a lane change.

Scottie

Just how long are you looking in your mirrors to do a lane change? BlueCruise Hands Free doesn’t whine at you until you’ve taken your attention away from driving for more than 5 seconds (I believe that’s the limit). I’ve never been chastised for merely checking my mirrors.

 

[Sikkun]

Personally I get chastised at night while looking straight ahead exactly the same as during the day.

Apparently I don’t open my eyes wide enough to make the camera happy.

 

[SonicBlue]

Good thread. Good responses. Nice to see that everyone understands the truth about what HFBC is. And isn’t. The mapping is just a geofence. The ACC and LC functionality are the product of the third-party MobileEye single camera system, and operate exactly the same in HOBC and HFBC. Ford’s hands free component simple allows the use of an eye sensor in lieu of the steering wheel torque sensor. (Well, and it adds assisted lane changes - but that’s not what we’re talking about here).

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