Ford Tests BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving in “Mother of All Road Trips” Ahead of Mach-E OTA Software Update

[Jimrpa]

I missed those reviews apparently.

I also don't drift, so if I had heard it I'd likely have stopped it right then: I had a friend nearly killed while minding her own business riding her bicycle when people drifting down a road hit her.

I’m sorry to hear. All the drifting I’ve ever seen has been on tracks and closed courses. I have no idea how to drift tbh

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[Kamuelaflyer]

I’m sorry to hear. All the drifting I’ve ever seen has been on tracks and closed courses. I have no idea how to drift tbh

This is the news picture well after the victim was transported away from the accident. That accident resulted in a "low level" felony conviction for the driver and an ongoing civil trial.

Drifting on tracks ... good. Drifting on an open and public road with neighborhoods around it? Bad.

Rather off-topic though. BlueCruise probably won't drift.

 

[efisher]

I understand how it's sold right now (where it's extra when the software is ready), but the article closes by saying the Mach-E Premium trims includes BlueCruise (right now it only includes hardware), and for the Select it is a $3200 all-inclusive option.

So I'm wondering if they'll bump the price of the Premium trims $600 to compensate for it, or if they'll get it "for free" compared to what the early adopters will be paying.

The software is $600 for a 3-year subscription.

 

[DBC]

Ah. Thought maybe they might have snuck an Easter egg in there for us ?

Would have been the most costly Easter egg ever! Hardware aside, the software development is monumentally expensive.

 

[ajmartineau]

Blues Clues? That’s a funny name for an ADAS.

Edit: Oh, BlueCruise. Got it.

 

[Jimrpa]

Would have been the most costly Easter egg ever! Hardware aside, the software development is monumentally expensive.

Good marketing for Luminar though and, given their CEOs disdain for “Saint Elon”, I suspect he would be willing to help.

 

[macchiaz-o]

Good marketing for Luminar though and, given their CEOs disdain for “Saint Elon”, I suspect he would be willing to help.

How does Luminar relate to Ford?

Why would Luminar or Ford want to include a Lidar unit with no integration purpose other than to annoy a competitor?

Where would this Lidar be hidden such that none of us would have seen it? How can it work while hidden?

 

[Jimrpa]

How does Luminar relate to Ford?

Why would Luminar or Ford want to include a Lidar unit with no integration purpose other than to annoy a competitor?

Where would this Lidar be hidden such that none of us would have seen it? How can it work while hidden?

Ok, Luminar’s CEO has said several times that he believes that vision-only autonomous driving systems aren’t a viable solution (no surprise there). Musk has a lot of disdain for LIDAR (again, no surprise). Luminar’s CEO has repeatedly said they’re working with several unnamed OEMs, specifically on software. The Luminar sensor is NOT one of those huge spinning things you’ve seen before. It’s small and compact - that’s their “secret sauce” if you will. All the above are open facts that have been published in various business magazines and interviews.

Now, I know nothing about the dimensions of their sensor, but thought to myself, “wouldn’t it be cool if the sensor was small enough to include in the array of sensors behind the rear view mirror? Then Ford could be first to market with a very cool discriminator - LIDAR!l” All that was speculation.

 

[ab13]

Ok, Luminar’s CEO has said several times that he believes that vision-only autonomous driving systems aren’t a viable solution (no surprise there). Musk has a lot of disdain for LIDAR (again, no surprise). Luminar’s CEO has repeatedly said they’re working with several unnamed OEMs, specifically on software. The Luminar sensor is NOT one of those huge spinning things you’ve seen before. It’s small and compact - that’s their “secret sauce” if you will. All the above are open facts that have been published in various business magazines and interviews.

Now, I know nothing about the dimensions of their sensor, but thought to myself, “wouldn’t it be cool if the sensor was small enough to include in the array of sensors behind the rear view mirror? Then Ford could be first to market with a very cool discriminator - LIDAR!l” All that was speculation.

Volvo is likely the first to use Luminar, it's a horizontal module at the top of the windshield. It would need to be external to the glass.

https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/...uminar-lidar-technology-for-safe-self-driving

 

[Mirak]

Apologies for the likely very ignorant question, but are we certain that BlueCruise will incorporate detailed highway mapping to enhance the safety of its operation?

I ask because I went back and read the Ford press release, and there actually isn’t any reference there to detailed highway mapping as a system input. Instead, it says:

Using both advanced camera and radar-sensing technologies and building upon Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, Lane Centering and Speed Sign Recognition, BlueCruise adds a new level of convenience for drivers with vehicles equipped with Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology. The feature allows a driver to operate truly hands-free on prequalified sections of divided highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones. A driver-facing camera in the instrument cluster monitors eye gaze and head position to help ensure the driver’s eyes remain on the road.

The only mention I can find that even alludes to detailed highway mapping being used to enhance safety of the system is this:

Ford also plans to offer regular mapping updates for the technology to recognize changes plus thousands of miles of planned new road additions.

That’s not super specific. Could it be that the only purpose of the highway mapping is to limit where BlueCruise can be utilized, but that the highway mapping otherwise has no direct input into the functionality or safety of the system? Is this just going to be CP360 but with an eye sensor instead of a hand nanny?

How does SuperCruise work? Does that Incorporate highway mapping?

 

[macchiaz-o]

Apologies for the likely very ignorant question, but are we certain that BlueCruise will incorporate detailed highway mapping to enhance the safety of its operation?

I ask because I went back and read the Ford press release, and there actually isn’t any reference there to detailed highway mapping as a system input. Instead, it says:



The only mention I can find that even alludes to detailed highway mapping being used to enhance safety of the system is this:



That’s not super specific. Could it be that the only purpose of the highway mapping is to limit where BlueCruise can be utilized, but that the highway mapping otherwise has no direct input into the functionality or safety of the system? Is this just going to be CP360 but with an eye sensor instead of a hand nanny?

How does SuperCruise work? Does that Incorporate highway mapping?

BlueCruise relies on high definition maps that are produced, at least in part, using Lidar road mapping data collected by Ford's engineers.

Check the prior press releases on this subject for more info.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/fords-mustang-mach-e-press-releases-all-of-them.866/

 

[timbop]

BlueCruise relies on high definition maps that are produced, at least in part, using Lidar road mapping data collected by Ford's engineers.

Check the prior press releases on this subject for more info.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/fords-mustang-mach-e-press-releases-all-of-them.866/

Ever the optimist, eh?

 

[ab13]

How does SuperCruise work? Does that Incorporate highway mapping?

GM specifically say Lidar mapping. Since Ford's map locations appear to be similar, it does imply they are doing the same thing, though they may not wish to say exactly what they are doing.

https://www.cadillac.com/world-of-cadillac/innovation/super-cruise/coast-to-coast

More detail and their support map locations.
https://www.cadillac.com/world-of-cadillac/innovation/super-cruise

 

[Mirak]

BlueCruise relies on high definition maps that are produced, at least in part, using Lidar road mapping data collected by Ford's engineers.

Check the prior press releases on this subject for more info.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/fords-mustang-mach-e-press-releases-all-of-them.866/

Thanks for pointing me to those. I only saw one other press release among that list on the subject of the Blue Cruise (then called Active Driver Assist 2.0) and it likewise doesn’t say how highway mapping (LIDAR or otherwise) will actually be used.

https://media.ford.com/content/ford...cing-hands-free-driver-assist-technology.html

I’m sure I probably just missed one in that long list but if anyone knows of any info from Ford about how the highway mapping will be used, would appreciate it. The only reference I’ve found so far to mapping is in relation to limiting the use of Blue Cruise to certain highways.

 

[Mach-E VLOG]

I've looked at some of MobileEye's videos on YouTube to better understand some of the technology. Ford is using their technology for ADAS. From what I understand, the system will use high definition maps that were created using LIDAR equipped vehicles. Then when you are driving on these premapped roads, your car just needs to verify exactly where it is on the map. Instead of having to try to interpret on the fly all of the details about the surrounding road, it can just verify checkpoints and match it with the known map. And it can be more accurate than trying to interpret camera data in sun glare, rain, or other conditions. The accuracy of these maps is key. This will help the car know when it needs to slow down because of a sharp curve for example. If it can't verify where you are on the map because the road has changed due to construction or whatever, it will disable BluesCruise.

Here's just one of the MobileEye videos that talks about the mapping technology.

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