The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is presently conducting an investigation into Ford’s BlueCruise driver assistance system following two fatal collisions involving the technology. Both incidents involved Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles colliding with stationary vehicles while the BlueCruise system was engaged.
BlueCruise is a driver assistance technology that allows for hands-free driving on select roads, particularly motorways. The NHTSA is specifically examining the driver monitoring aspect of the system, as well as its overall performance with driving tasks.
In response to the investigation, Ford has stated that it is cooperating with the NHTSA to assist in the ongoing probe. The crashes that initiated the investigation are also being separately scrutinized by another safety agency, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The investigations come after a Ford Mustang Mach-E using BlueCruise collided with a stationary Honda in February, resulting in the death of the driver of the stopped car. Another crash involving a Ford Mach-E occurred in March in Philadelphia.
BlueCruise utilises eye-tracking cameras to monitor whether drivers are paying attention and prompts them to take control of the vehicle if it detects any shift in focus. In the UK, the technology has been approved for use on certain motorways, with specific regulations governing its operation and a maximum speed limit of 81mph (130kmh).
Despite its approval, the implementation of BlueCruise in the UK differs from that in the US and remains the only permitted driver assistance technology to allow for hands-off driving on specific road sections in the UK.
The investigation conducted by the NHTSA follows a similar inquiry into the effectiveness of Tesla’s Autopilot driver assistance system. Tesla issued a recall in the form of a software update to over two million of its electric vehicles in response to safety issues identified in its Autopilot system.
The UK’s Department for Transport declined to comment on the US investigation into Ford’s BlueCruise but emphasised that the approval for the technology’s use in the UK followed a rigorous examination and assessment process.
The BBC’s technology editor, Zoe Kleinman, experienced the hands-free technology in January on the UK’s M25 motorway. Kleinman described the experience as both relaxing and stressful, highlighting that while the BlueCruise-activated car remained in its lane and maintained the speed of traffic, it also took actions she would not have taken herself, such as undertaking in the left lane and appearing to speed up when exiting the motorway.
Overall, the investigation into Ford’s BlueCruise system underscores the importance of thoroughly evaluating and monitoring the performance of driver assistance technologies, particularly as they become increasingly integrated into modern vehicles.