Ford Expands Out-hand Driving System To More Models

JAKARTA Ford is expanding the application of handless autonomous driving technology at the wheel or the name BlueCruise. The feature will be applied to many models in the UK next year.

The system was first introduced in 2023 and is until now the only level two plus autonomous technology that has received official permission to be used on the country's toll roads. Head of European Ford Software Torsten Wey, explained that the feature will be accessible to many customers.

"With BlueCruise now available on five lines of vehicles in Europe, we help make the experience of free-hand driving on toll roads accessible to more customers," Torsten Wey said as quoted by Autocar, Thursday, November 13.

He emphasized that this technology is designed to keep drivers in control, but get significant help in certain situations. BlueCruise utilizes a combination of radar and cameras to adjust speeds adaptively.

In fact, this is similar to similar features on other brands such as BMW, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz. The difference is, Ford's technology allows drivers to get their hands off the wheel while crossing the road that has been designated as BlueCruise roads', which currently covers about 95 percent of toll roads in the UK.

However, the driver is still required to pay attention to the road. If the monitoring camera detects a lack of attention, the system will disable the free hand function automatically.

Starting next year's spring, BlueCruise will be present in more models, including Ford Puma, Puma Gen-E, Kuga, and Ranger PHEV. This feature applies to models in 2026 that are equipped with Driver Assistance packages and active subscriptions.

Ford insists that this system is not available as retrofitting for older models. That is, only new vehicles that meet certain specifications can use this technology.

"We are committed to bringing cutting-edge technology to more drivers," Wey said.

BlueCruise usually requires an annual or monthly subscription after the free trial period ends. With this expansion, Ford strengthened its steps in presenting a advanced driving assistance system that still prioritizes safety and compliance with regulations.