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One Year Later, Still No BlueCruise for Our F-150

By Kelsey Mays

Just over a year into our ownership, it seemed Cars.com’s long-term F-150 was finally set to receive BlueCruise, Ford’s driver-assist system that couples hands-free lane centering with adaptive cruise control. The update would come by way of software downloaded from Ford’s server and uploaded through our truck’s onboard diagnostics port, service representatives at our local Ford dealership told us earlier this week. And, we were told, it was all set.

So you can imagine our surprise when we went to get the truck yesterday and found no evidence BlueCruise had been installed.

Related: More Coverage of Cars.com’s Long-Term F-150

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How We Got Here

Our plan when we purchased our 2021 F-150 , after naming it our Best of 2021, was to add the BlueCruise feature once it became available by means of an over-the-air (OTA) update, one of the many aspects of a new model that can be gauged only through long-term ownership. The feature is already later than expected: In mid-2020 when Ford announced plans to debut BlueCruise, at the time called Active Drive Assist, the company said the technology would “become available in the third quarter of 2021” via OTA updates on examples of the Mustang Mach-E and redesigned F-150 equipped with the required hardware from Ford’s optional Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep Package. Anticipating the eventual update at the time of purchase, we’d opted for the F-150’s spendy Limited trim, which included Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep at no extra cost.

As the third quarter of 2021 wound down with no sign of BlueCruise, we reached out to Ford for an update. Dawn Mckenzie, a spokesperson for the automaker, told Cars.com on Sept. 2 that the BlueCruise “ OTA on F-150 should happen this fall,” and new trucks were “shipping now” with the feature. In other words, quite likely the fourth quarter.

Even the expectation of that timing would prove short-lived. In a conference call eight weeks later, Ford CEO Jim Farley said OTA BlueCruise updates would come in the first quarter of 2022.

“We’re shipping with Mach-E [and] F-Series now [with] BlueCruise as they leave the factory, and we’re going to be OTA-ing BlueCruise in the first quarter,” Farley said, according to Ford’s transcript of the Oct. 27 call . “We wanted to improve the customer experience. So we pushed it back in terms of an OTA because we want it to be much simpler for the customer than was originally planned. And that takes a little planning to consolidate.”

BlueCruise and other so-called Level 2 systems — which can accelerate, brake and steer but still require driver attention — “require multiple updates to the car,” Farley continued. “We want it to be very simple. That took a little bit more work on our team’s part. And so it’s available as we ship products now. And as an OTA, it will be in the first quarter [of 2022], and it will be a lot simpler to use and get that OTA and update for the customer than it was originally planned.”

We learned earlier this month that a dealer update could be a faster way to get BlueCruise than waiting on Ford to push the feature to eligible vehicles over the air. Incidentally, our F-150 also had a safety recall, which we’ll report on once it’s complete, so we asked if our local dealership could look into BlueCruise when we dropped the truck off for inspection. A service rep said we were among the first owners to ask about BlueCruise, but they’d investigate. When we spoke later that day, the rep said the upload was possible and underway.

At the dealership, our service technician said he was able to download the update directly from Ford’s server and, through a scan tool, upload it to our F-150. Ford’s server pushes certain software earlier than the automaker issues via OTAs, he said — an explanation that aligns with what the automaker told us. Wes Sherwood, a Ford spokesperson, told Cars.com in an email on Jan. 5 that Mustang Mach-E and F-150 customers “who are eager to have BlueCruise capability on their eligible vehicles ahead of the Ford Power-Up over-the-air updates will be able to receive their upgrades at dealerships, also in the first quarter [of 2022].”

So What Happened?

We confirmed through various BlueCruise materials and a highway road test that our truck indeed lacked the feature. Alerted about it, our dealership said it would investigate. It’s unclear what went wrong with the update and why the dealer didn’t recognize that it had failed, but neither we nor the truck could stick around any longer.

Suffice it to say, we, like many other F-150 and Mach-E owners, are still waiting for BlueCruise.

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Ford’s ‘Mother of All Road Trips’ Tests BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving Ahead of Over-the-Air Push to F-150, Mustang Mach-E

• Following 500,000 miles of development testing, Ford embarked on a 110,000-mile “Mother of All Road Trips” across the United States and Canada to prove out BlueCruise hands-free highway driving technology in a wide range of driving and weather conditions
• 2021 Ford F-150 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with the available Ford Co-Pilot360 ™ Active 2.0 Prep Package can receive BlueCruise later this year through over-the-air software update.  
• BlueCruise will give drivers the comfort and confidence of hands-free driving on prequalified sections of divided highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones that make up more than 100,000 miles of North American roads
• Additional Ford vehicles to receive BlueCruise technology in coming years as Ford continues to add additional highways and deliver new hands-free driving capabilities to F-150, Mustang Mach-E and more

DEARBORN, Mich., April 14, 2021 – Ford will begin offering its new BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system to customers later this year after 500,000 miles of development testing and fine-tuning the technology on a journey across the United States and Canada.

Last year, Ford sent a fleet of 10 test vehicles – five F-150 pickups and five all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs – to complete what test drivers dubbed the “Mother of All Road Trips.” The trek covered more than 110,000 miles through 37 states and five Canadian provinces to challenge BlueCruise against a wide range of road, weather and traffic conditions.

“There are highway intricacies and driving conditions that you simply cannot replicate in a lab,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford chief product platform and operations officer. “Sending these vehicles out for real-world driving experience is just one of many ways we ensured that BlueCruise technology offers confidence and convenience for drivers all across the continent.”  

Via over-the-air software updates, BlueCruise will be offered later this year on 2021 F-150 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E models equipped with the available Ford Co-Pilot360 ™ Active 2.0 Prep Package. Over-the-air software updates allow owners of select Ford vehicles to update software from the convenience of their own garage.

Ford is targeting to sell more than 100,000 vehicles equipped with BlueCruise in the first year, based on company sales and take-rate projections.

Mother of All Road Trips becomes the ultimate Ford test drive

All 10 test vehicles – one departing from Palo Alto, California, the others from Dearborn, Michigan – spent much of last November and December winding their way across the United States and Canada. Test drivers searched for every conceivable road condition and highway driving scenario, monitoring the system’s performance, collecting data and highlighting areas where improvements could be made.

The trip marked the final leg of a development process that ran up more than a half-million miles in a series of shorter test drives, each designed to evaluate a specific aspect of BlueCruise. As real-world validation of those earlier tests, road trip enabled the system to scan for variances in road signage, lane markings, exit ramps, traffic patterns and weather.

“I drive long-distance quite often, whether out to Boston or down to Florida to visit family or friends, and usually I mentally tire out on drives that far,” said Alexandra Taylor, BlueCruise feature development engineer, who logged more than 3,000 miles in an F-150 on the trek. “The one thing that became clear is that, when using BlueCruise, long drives aren’t nearly as mentally taxing to me.”

Taylor and fellow BlueCruise engineer Shruti Gotadki set out on an eight-day journey that wound through the southeast United States, targeting driving differences between Jacksonville, Louisville, Atlanta and other major urban areas.

Back at the Ford lab, driver-assist technology supervisor Justin Teems monitored the progress of the entire fleet, corralling important data that will help shape BlueCruise driving experience in the months and years ahead.

“It was like mission control,” Teems said. “We really wanted to push BlueCruise to its limits. Every state builds roads a little differently. When you include factors like lane line degradation, weather and construction, building a hands-free driving system becomes extremely complex. Those complexities are why Ford has the best team of engineers in the world working on it.”

BlueCruise, the evolution of Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology

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.

Currently, more than 100,000 miles of highways across North America are dedicated Hands-Free Blue Zones in the Ford GPS mapping system. BlueCruise uses blue lighting on the digital instrument cluster to indicate when the vehicle is in a hands-free zone.

In addition to the full hands-free mode, equipped vehicles will also feature Lane Centering mode. Lane Centering works on most roads with lane lines and can help keep the vehicle centered in its lane but requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel. In either mode, a visual prompt on the instrument cluster notifies drivers when they need to return their attention to the road or resume control of the vehicle.

BlueCruise is an SAE Level 2 driver-assist technology, similar to Tesla Autopilot but with the advantage of offering a true hands-free driving experience while in Hands-Free Mode that does not require a driver’s hands to stay in contact with the steering wheel, unless prompted by vehicle alerts.

And unlike other approaches – such as GM’s Super Cruise, which uses red and green lighting, or Tesla’s Autopilot, which requires a driver keep their hands on the steering wheel – BlueCruise communicates with drivers in different ways. The instrument cluster transitions to communicate that the feature is in Hands-Free mode through text and blue lighting cues, effective even for those with color blindness.

More highways and features to come

Beyond the 2021 F-150 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E, additional Ford vehicles will also receive BlueCruise hands-free driving technology, while current owners continue to receive over-the-air software updates to add new features and capabilities in the coming years.

Future enhancements are planned to include Lane Change Assist that will let the vehicle change lanes with just a tap of the turn signal indicator, and Predictive Speed Assist that will adjust vehicle speed for road curves, roundabouts and more.

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

Affordable hands-free highway driving technology

2021 F-150 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E customers will be able to purchase BlueCruise software – including a three-year service period – for $600 in the second half of 2021, when it’s ready to launch. Hardware pricing varies by vehicle.

For F-150, BlueCruise is available as a part of the Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 package for a total of $1,595 – $600 for the software and $995 for the hardware. The Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 package is standard on F-150 Limited and available as an option on Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum models.

For Mustang Mach-E, BlueCruise comes standard on CA Route 1, Premium and First Edition variants. It’s an available package on the Select trim for $3,200 – $ 600 for the software and $2,600 for the rest of the package – as part of the larger Comfort and Technology package, which includes features such as a 360-degree camera, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.

Driver-assist features are supplemental and do not replace the driver’s attention, judgment and need to control the vehicle. BlueCruise is a hands-free highway driving feature. Only remove hands from the steering wheel when in a Hands-Free Blue Zone. Always watch the road and be prepared to resume control of the vehicle. It does not replace safe driving. See owner’s manual for details and limitations. The BlueCruise Prep Kit contains the hardware required for this feature. Software for the feature will be available for purchase at a later date. BlueCruise functionality is expected in the third quarter of 2021. Separate payment for feature software is required to activate full functionality at that time.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.  The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty.  Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services.  The company does that through three customer-centered business segments:  Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs.  Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide.  More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

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Power-Up OTA 6.1.0 - BlueCruise Map Update

• Thread starter MichaelCA
• Start date Oct 12, 2023

Well-known member

• Thread starter

Warp Asylum

Beat me to it, I got it this afternoon also. On the Mach-E, 6.1.0 is unofficially confirmed to be the first in the BlueCruise 1.3 update series.  

Warp Asylum said: Beat me to it, I got it this afternoon also. On the Mach-E, 6.1.0 is unofficially confirmed to be the first in the BlueCruise 1.3 update series. Click to expand...

Gimme_my_MME

MichaelCA said: Is there any actual blue cruise improvements? Click to expand...

ICE trucks started getting this last week. It is a GWM update and 6.2.0 followed shortly after and is also a GWM update.  

Stuck thread  

Pitbull2o08

Gimme_my_MME said: Nothing that is customer facing regarding BlueCruise changed in this one. But I'm surprised no one has jumped on the Intelligent Backup fix in this update! Click to expand...

Pitbull2o08 said: Where does it say there was an intelligent back up fix? View attachment 73518 Click to expand...

MichaelCA said: Notes below. Click to expand...

That’s weird. I see you have a lariat too.  

Warp Asylum said: From BC 1.0 to BC 1.3, yes there are significant improvements and new features. Those are documented elsewhere so I won't go over that here. It will take a while before BC 1.3 is actually enabled though. Based on how many updates were needed to enable BC 1.0 on early Mach-E's, the speculation is that it will take 5+ OTAs before BC 1.3 is turned on. Mach-E owners are just starting to get 6.2.0 this week and BC 1.3 is not turned on yet. Click to expand...

chillaban said: I don’t think 6.1/6.2 (both GWM updates) are going to turn on BC 1.3. It’ll require at least a combo of PSCM, IPMA, APIM, and IPC updates. EDIT: actually 6.2.0 reads more like an APIM update. But yeah there’s still more updates to come for BC. Click to expand...

rugedraw said: Correct. IPMA and IPC updates are needed for sure for BC 1.3. 6.2.0 is definitely a GWM update on the ICE trucks, so I doubt it'll be different for you guys. Click to expand...

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What is Ford BlueCruise *

BlueCruise allows for true hands-free driving on prequalified sections of divided highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones that make up over 130,000 miles of North American roads.

BlueCruise uses blue lighting on the digital instrument cluster to indicate when the vehicle is in a hands-free zone.

How BlueCruise Works

BlueCruise builds upon available Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go and Lane Centering and Speed Sign Recognition . It allows you to operate your vehicle hands-free while you are monitored by a driver-facing camera to make sure you are keeping your eyes on the road, with the potential for more enhancements in the future. 

Hands-Free Blue Zones Map

Access the interactive map of Hands-Free Blue Zone .

Additional Information

What are some frequently asked questions about Bluecruise? What is Active Park Assist 2.0? What is Lane Centering? What is Reverse Brake Assist?

* Feature is available on select vehicles. Features may vary based on model year, trim, options, packages, and supply availability. Use the  Build and Price tool  to view feature availability on current models. If you have questions or need more information, reference your  Owner’s Manual  or contact your  Ford Dealer . Driver-assist features are supplemental and do not replace the driver’s attention, judgment, and need to control the vehicle. Refer to your  Owner’s Manual  for details and limitations.

BlueCruise is a hands-free highway driving feature. Only remove hands from the steering wheel when in a Hands-Free Zone. Always watch the road and be prepared to resume control of the vehicle. It does not replace safe driving. See your Owner's Manual for detail and limitations. Requires Ford Connect activation through the FordPass ®  App (see FordPass Terms for details ) and a FordPass Member Account. Connected services and features depend on compatible AT&T network availability. Evolving technology/cellular networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent the operation of connected features. FordPass App, compatible with select smartphone platforms, is available via a download. Message and data rates may apply.     

** Model Year 2021 vehicles with the BlueCruise Prep Package known as (Ford Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep Package) was for the first vehicles that did not ship from the factory with BlueCruise installed and received the software at a later date.