Yahoo Autos Ford unleashes game-changing update to autonomous driving system
Ford is taking its autonomous driving software to the next level with its latest BlueCruise 1.5 update, which brings a new automatic lane-changing feature to the automaker’s all-electric Mustang Mach-E.
The update allows drivers to maintain their speed by automatically changing lanes to pass slower traffic on highways. Although multiple Ford vehicles offer BlueCruise, this newest update will be limited to the newest 2025 Mach-E for now. Ford said its plans to expand the feature to other vehicles and model years will be announced in the future.
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How the new lane change feature works
The feature was designed by Ford’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) team to make highway driving smoother and more efficient.
In their internal testing, Ford found that the new feature will automate “up to 45% of lane changes.” The system actively avoids lane changes in risky conditions, like merging onto ramps or into faster-moving traffic. The goal is to keep drivers in hands-free mode longer, making highway drives less stressful and more enjoyable.
BlueCruise 1.5 detects when a neighboring lane is clear and initiates a lane change to avoid slowdowns. Before changing lanes, drivers receive an audio and visual alert explaining why the maneuver is happening, such as to overtake a slower vehicle. If a driver prefers not to change lanes, they can override the system by holding the steering wheel or using the turn signal. Drivers can also disable the new feature entirely if they’re not interested in using it.
Ford
A new pricing structure expands BlueCruise access
Ford is also revising BlueCruise pricing to make it more accessible. For 2025 model-year vehicles, BlueCruise is offering an annual plan at $495 and a monthly option at $49.99.
Personally, we find the prospect of recurring subscriptions on your own vehicle a little dystopian to say the least, so we were happy to hear that a one-time purchase option is also being offered now. At the time of the purchase, buyers can now make a one-time purchase for $2,495 for lifetime access to BlueCruise. Unfortunately, the one-time purchase option does not apply retroactively, meaning Ford owners already paying a BlueCruise subscription won’t be able to make the jump to the $2,495, lifetime access option.
Ford is committing to support BlueCruise for a minimum of seven years, so as is the case with all software, lifetime access is only as long as Ford continues to use BlueCruise.
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Final thoughts
With BlueCruise 1.5, Ford is taking significant steps to improve the experience of hands-free driving. The introduction of automatic lane changes and a simplified pricing model reflects Ford’s commitment to making autonomous driving features more convenient and accessible, without sacrificing safety.
The update also brings the Mach-E closer to its Autopilot-equipped peer: the Tesla Model 3. Although BlueCruise lacks the complexity of Tesla’s autonomous driving system, its relatively simple offering also isn’t under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration—so there’s that.
