How do I get ACC + LKA/LC back after BlueCruise Handsfree is installed?

[SnBGC]

Looking for a little help here. Apologies if this has been asked already, I searched and didn't find anything that addresses my specific questions....

I took my car in because I kept getting front camera and pre collission assist failures and the dealer wanted to complete the installation of 21G01 since maybe that had something to do with my symptoms. Also was going to install the HVBJB recall software but that actually installed at the end of last week via OTA so they were able to skip that apparently.

So, BlueCruise Hands Free works and as far as I can tell, it is identical to ACC + LKA/LC except one big difference. BlueCruise Hands Free (BCHF) tracks down the dead center of the lane but I am no longer able to set my preferred tracking position in the lane like I could do with ACC+LKA/LC.

I tried turning off BCHF in the Sync menu but that also seems to disable Lane Centering. Is there any way to get Lane Centering back without having BCHF enabled? It looks like "Lane Centering with Hands-Free" is combined into one radio button and I can't find a way to turn off Hands-Free while leaving Lane Centering enabled. Here is what I get when I disable that button.

If the answer is "NO", then will I get this feature back when my BCHF trail period expires or will I be stuck with ACC+LKA only. Or to put it another way....is Lane Centering gone when BCHF is gone?

I had no choice but to use BCHF on my 22 mile drive to work because that appears to be the only way that I can get Lane Centering to function. BCHF frequently drops off and reverts to ACC+LKA/LC and then back again. The transition is seamless, but it happens quite often and is very distracting visually. My preference would be to have ACC+LKA/LC with preferred lane tracking vs having to drive down the dead center of the lane with the screen flashing those blue graphics on and off every few miles.

Sometimes it takes a few days for things to settle in after an update. If the preferred tracking in the lane feature starts working with BCHF then I can probably live with it provided I can get used to the driver's screen flashing up those blue screens back and forth throughout my drive.

Right now my screen flashes back and forth between these two views every couple of miles during my commute. It's a bit distracting obviously. I don't think it's a problem with the system. I think it has to do with the condition of the freeway. They have it all torn up around here and the lane markings are a little vague at times.

Any ideas?

 

[Mach-Lee]

So you want to disable hands-free mode only? I don't think you can do that. Not to be rude, but I think you'll just learn to put your hand on and off when the screen changes. After a few commutes you'll learn when the dropout areas are coming and when to put your hand on. That's been my experience using it for commuting. Yes it needs to see lane lines or it will freak out.

If BlueCruise is being annoying then I just turn it off with the steering wheel button until I'm in a better area. I usually turn it off in construction zones unless the lanes are marked well.

The adjusting position in the lane thing must have gotten removed, I've never experienced that in my 2022. If anything my car wants to favor the right side of the lane in BlueCruise, dead center would be a nice improvement to me so I don't have to fight it all the time passing cars. Maybe the factory calibration of my IPMA is off? Ford definitely could make some improvements there so it doesn't come so close to other cars, they could use the data from the front radar sensors to scoot the car over when you come up on a semi or something when the spacing will be closer than normal.

Lane centering is part of BlueCruise now since they both use the map data, and it's really the same exact system and software running it. I'm guessing lane centering will end with the BlueCruise subscription but I'm not sure.

 

[SnBGC]

So you want to disable hands-free mode only? I don't think you can do that. Not to be rude, but I think you'll just learn to put your hand on and off when the screen changes. After a few commutes you'll learn when the dropout areas are coming and when to put your hand on. That's been my experience using it for commuting. Yes it needs to see lane lines or it will freak out.

If BlueCruise is being annoying then I just turn it off with the steering wheel button until I'm in a better area. I usually turn it off in construction zones unless the lanes are marked well.

The adjusting position in the lane thing must have gotten removed, I've never experienced that in my 2022. If anything my car wants to favor the right side of the lane in BlueCruise, dead center would be a nice improvement to me so I don't have to fight it all the time passing cars. Maybe the factory calibration of my IPMA is off? Ford defiantly could make some improvements there so it doesn't come so close to other cars, they could use the data from the front radar sensors to scoot the car over when you come up on a semi or something when the spacing will be closer than normal.

Keeping at least one hand on the wheel is part of my driving style so I still hold onto it even with BCHF enabled. Maybe remove it for a brief second or two but the majority of the time I hold onto the steering wheel. Keeping a grip on the wheel is pretty high up on the list of things that CDL drivers are trained to do.

When I first bought my car (2021 First Edition), it would allow me to pick the position in the lane that I preferred. Very handy here in Phoenix because many of the freeways have a smooth section that is just off center (usually to the left side of the lane) and I prefer tracking there instead. Plus, it gives me a little extra visibility while in the car pool lane to see if someone is going to dart in from the right lane.

It really was a great feature and one that I didn't even know I wanted until I purchased this car.

Then the dealer attempted 21G01 and that feature went away. Several weeks later it started working again but would need to "bounce" off the right side of the lane almost as if it needed to find it. Then it would migrate to the center of the lane. At that point, I could set my preferred position in the lane. Every 5-10 miles it would start fighting me and I would need to release the wheel, let it "find" the right side of the lane again and then reset my position. Not ideal of course, but at least the feature worked.

Now it doesn't appear to work at all now that BCHF is fully operational.
I am hoping that maybe after a few weeks it will start working again?

Lane centering is part of BlueCruise now since they both use the map data, and it's really the same exact system and software running it. I'm guessing lane centering will end with the BlueCruise subscription but I'm not sure.

I really hope we get to keep Lane Centering once the BCHF trial expires. If it goes away completely then I will be VERY disappointed. It would suck if my brother's Select has ACC+LKA/LC while the higher trims won't have LC just because we didn't choose to subscribe to BCHF.

 

[daemonic3]

Then the dealer attempted 21G01 and that feature went away. Several weeks later it started working again but would need to "bounce" off the right side of the lane almost as if it needed to find it. Then it would migrate to the center of the lane. At that point, I could set my preferred position in the lane. Every 5-10 miles it would start fighting me and I would need to release the wheel, let it "find" the right side of the lane again and then reset my position. Not ideal of course, but at least the feature worked.

Ah, thanks for this description! I was using BC a lot on a commute yesterday and notice that if I went from me firmly steering and holding and wanted to loosen my grip to let the car take over again, it DEFINITELY wanted to do this "bounce" as you call it off the right marker before it would center again. My F150 bluecruise does not do this, so I thought maybe the Mach had a calibration issue. Once I let it find the right side it was ok again but man it is scary when you feel yourself fighting the wheel when it wants to "bounce" off that lane line first. I had a hard time "letting go" so to speak.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Ah, thanks for this description! I was using BC a lot on a commute yesterday and notice that if I went from me firmly steering and holding and wanted to loosen my grip to let the car take over again, it DEFINITELY wanted to do this "bounce" as you call it off the right marker before it would center again. My F150 bluecruise does not do this, so I thought maybe the Mach had a calibration issue. Once I let it find the right side it was ok again but man it is scary when you feel yourself fighting the wheel when it wants to "bounce" off that lane line first. I had a hard time "letting go" so to speak.

The longer you're off-center (what it thinks is center), the more torque it applies trying to return. This is how it corrects for wind and crown differences. Letting go causes it to readjust its force curve and the process starts over again. I recommend letting up slowly so the "bounce" isn't as severe.

In theory it should know you're the one forcing it off center instead of it being an external force and adjust accordingly. But not sure if Ford removed that feature intentionally or accidentally in the latest software.

 

[SnBGC]

Ah, thanks for this description! I was using BC a lot on a commute yesterday and notice that if I went from me firmly steering and holding and wanted to loosen my grip to let the car take over again, it DEFINITELY wanted to do this "bounce" as you call it off the right marker before it would center again. My F150 bluecruise does not do this, so I thought maybe the Mach had a calibration issue. Once I let it find the right side it was ok again but man it is scary when you feel yourself fighting the wheel when it wants to "bounce" off that lane line first. I had a hard time "letting go" so to speak.

Yeah that was a little weird to get used to. Ironically, that behavior in my car is gone now that BCHF is fully operational.

I am getting a little more comfortable with the screen switching back and forth so much. It is much less distracting during the middle of the day compared to evenings or early morning hours. Maybe I can adjust the brightness and tame it down a bit.

Will keep using it for the remainder of the week and see if I can find some work around to mitigate the annoyances.

It does suck to let it drive itself sometimes. It seems to insist on driving down the roughest part of the road and make for a harsher ride than necessary. In this photo, it puts the left side tires right on the crack in tha asphalt. Not fun.

 

[SnBGC]

I figured it out. Disabling vehicle connectivity has the net effect of turning off BCHF. BCHO still works. However, the preferred lane tracking feature is gone.

I will try and submit a request to Ford to ask if we can have that feature back while using BCHO.

Meanwhile, my brother's Select now has a feature that my First Edition no longer enjoys. Kinda sucks IMO....

 

[ChasingCoral]

ACC + LK should work when you are outside of the Blue Zones. I think when you are in Blue Zones, BCHF will engage except when you do your vehicle connectivity hack.

Once your BC expires, the car should switch to just doing ACC + LK everywhere.

 

[SnBGC]

ACC + LK should work when you are outside of the Blue Zones. I think when you are in Blue Zones, BCHF will engage except when you do your vehicle connectivity hack.

Once your BC expires, the car should switch to just doing ACC + LK everywhere.

Correct. In addition, Lane Centering works as well. The only piece missing is the ability to chose my preferred off center lane tracking. That feature is now gone. I understand why it wouldn't work in BCHF mode but disappointed that it didn't remain in BCHO mode (aka ACC+LKA/LC).

 

[ChasingCoral]

Correct. In addition, Lane Centering works as well. The only piece missing is the ability to chose my preferred off center lane tracking. That feature is now gone. I understand why it wouldn't work in BCHF mode but disappointed that it didn't remain in BCHO mode (aka ACC+LKA/LC).

You might be able to train it to drive off center in ACC + LC. Try it and see if your pony will learn.

In BCHF I doubt it is trainable but I could be wrong.

 

[SnBGC]

You might be able to train it to drive off center in ACC + LC. Try it and see if your pony will learn.

In BCHF I doubt it is trainable but I could be wrong.

I have tried. It will not take a lane position off center any longer.

I agree with BCHF......that is center of lane only and that makes sense to me. Should be that way IMO.

But ACC+ LKA/LC should still allow the off center position but the software people must have removed that feature when they added BCHF.

It says BCHF is built on top of ACC, LKA and LC so maybe the off center tracking had to go away in order for BCHF to work? Is there anyone here that has functioning BCHF and off center lane position works in BCHO (hands on)?

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