Table Of Content
We asked Ford representatives what parameters cause the system to suddenly switch out of hands-free mode, and were told it could be a number of things, from overly curvy lanes to unclear lane lines. Ford is changing how it sells its hands-free BlueCruise driver-assist feature to its customers. This advanced driver aid operates on some 130,000 miles of approved roadway in North America and, for the most part, it works well. Plan a day trip before or after your cruise to make the most of your vacation travels from Florida with a visit to the top 10 best aquariums.
Ford Mustang Mach-E gets more range, faster charging, and quicker acceleration
The company also says the feature works on 97 percent of controlled access highways in the US and Canada — which translates to around 130,000 miles of road. Ford announced today that it’s expanding the availability of its BlueCruise hands-free driving tech. Previously, customers had to decide whether to add the option on available models at purchase — and that decision was final.
Sailing from Florida on a Vacation Getaway
If a customer doesn’t choose this option, they can also activate a $75 a month or $800 a year subscription — with a 90-day complimentary bonus. In testing, the biggest weakness of BlueCruise is how it handles off-ramps. When a new exit lane opens and you're driving ahead in the adjacent lane, the system will sometimes disengage and revert back to conventional adaptive cruise control. Fortunately, BlueCurise usually reengages a few seconds later once it figures out you're not headed for the ditch, but this is still a bit annoying and it happens more often than I'd like. The system steers smoothly and has no trouble with surrounding traffic. The Ford system tends to make more small steering wheel corrections and can ping-pong slightly between lane markers when going through tighter corners.
Ford’s hands-free BlueCruise comes under scrutiny after fatal crash
Ford’s marketing of BlueCruise as a “hands-off highway driving experience” is potentially misleading to consumers. People may be confused or feel misled when they find out that BlueCruise wants them to have their hands on the steering wheel quite often on curvier sections of highway. Many customers may assume “hands-free” actually means “hands-free at all times,” and in our experience so far, that simply isn’t the case with BlueCruise, even on premapped sections of divided highway. Thanks to Ford’s mapping data, BlueCruise knows information such as the GPS location of the lane, lane width, lane curvature, and changes in elevation. The information is onboard the vehicle, and Ford will update the maps over the air as needed. Once you're on an approved divided highway, BlueCruise is a snap to engage.
Despite these minor issues, the system is confidence-inspiring and makes long highway drives much more relaxing. While you can certainly fit plenty of adventure into a short cruise from Florida, more time means more thrills — and more islands to explore. Set sail from Tampa, Orlando, Miami or Fort Lauderdale for a week long travel vacation that hits some of the best ports in the Caribbean. With four major ports, sailing out of Florida offers so many exciting options to explore on a day trip before or after your cruise. Find cruising near you from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando (Port Canaveral) or Tampa and you'll find plenty of things to do to soak up the sun and culture in the Florida region. Dubbed the cruise capital of the world, Florida is also a top-ranked vacation destination in its own right.
To further help their customers understand the nuances of BlueCruise, Ford says it is developing how-to videos on the system. There are situations, as I learned on a lengthy drive up Michigan's I-75, that will cause BlueCruise to temporarily disengage, that is, to revert to conventional adaptive cruise control where you have to steer. BlueCruise may also be averse to orange barrels, that is, the system could have trouble in construction zones. Whether you sail from Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Orlando, these tips will help you plan.
BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving Hardware Coming to More 2024 Fords and Lincolns - MotorTrend
BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving Hardware Coming to More 2024 Fords and Lincolns.
Posted: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Venture north, to taste the flavors of the state’s local vegetable farms and fresh fishing markets. You'll be able to use much of your Caribbean cruise wardrobe while you're vacationing in Florida — sandals, bathing suits, cover-ups and breezy linen. A comprehensive list of family-friendly things to do in Miami before a cruise that will excite the whole family. Odyssey of the Seas℠ sails from Fort Lauderdale with teched-out thrills on every deck. Float on air in RipCord®by iFLY®on your way to Perfect Day at CocoCay. And experience even more favorites on the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to sail the best of the Southern Caribbean and beyond.
Ford BlueCruise Rivals GM’s Super Cruise for Balancing Automation and Driver Monitoring
The system uses a driver-facing infrared camera perched atop the steering column that monitors the driver’s eyes and head gaze. The driver monitoring works effectively at detecting when the driver is looking away from the road, and it was not thrown off by sunglasses or a face mask. Previously, customers had to decide at the dealership whether they wanted to purchase a new Ford vehicle with BlueCruise hardware installed — and they couldn’t go back and change their minds if they opted not to include it. Now, the hardware will come standard on many new vehicles, and customers can decide at any time whether they want to activate it. Most notably, they can choose to pay for it as a monthly or annual subscription. Both NHTSA and the NTSB have investigated multiple previous crashes involving partially automated driving systems, most involving Tesla’s Autopilot.
Ford's hands-free BlueCruise feature is now available as a monthly or annual subscription - The Verge
Ford's hands-free BlueCruise feature is now available as a monthly or annual subscription.
Posted: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Whether you choose to sail to Mexico, the Bahamas, Haiti or Jamaica, you're in for captivating shores, colorful coastal villages and plenty of island vibes. \nCruises from Florida take you to some of the most beautiful jewels of the Caribbean. Florida is a melting pot of peoples as well as cultures — and the food scene here certainly reflects that. To the south, you'll find lots of Caribbean and Latin American influence in every bite.
This technology, which is available on select vehicles, enables hands-free motoring on certain sections of divided highway. I put this Super Cruise imitator to the test on a nearly 700-mile round-trip drive to Northern Michigan and the results are positive -- with a couple caveats, of course. BlueCruise worked well during our preliminary evaluations on a Mustang Mach-E rented from Ford. The system is easy to activate because it takes only a single press of the cruise control button on the steering wheel to simultaneously engage the ACC and LCA. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an incident involving Ford’s hands-free driver-assist system after a Mustang Mach-E driver crashed into another vehicle in Texas, killing the occupant.
This hands-free helper got us to our destination and back again safely with few interruptions. The system is mostly smooth and exceedingly easy to use, and it should get even better with future updates. BlueCruise is currently available on the F-150 pickup and Mustang Mach-E SUV, though it's coming to more products in the future.
When engaged, you cannot take a nap, play Wordle, organize your collection of superhero action figures, anything like that. There's a surprisingly sensitive driver-monitoring camera system that makes sure you're looking ahead and paying attention because you have to intervene if the system needs it. If you're planning to spend a few days exploring Florida, consider renting a car. Planning to visit the best petting zoos for exotic animals before your cruise vacation out of Florida? No matter where in the Sunshine State you travel, the best family beaches in Florida are never far.
The functionality of these two systems is almost the same, though GM's Enhanced Super Cruise does have two significant advantages. Just tap the turn signal stalk and if there's nothing in the way, the vehicle will move over on its own. Second, you can tow with Enhanced Super Cruise, meaning you can trailer your boat to the lake for a long weekend without having to steer, or at least, steer as much. Undoubtedly, Ford engineers are hard at work developing similar features that will be enabled in future updates. No problem — choose from a wide range of two-, three- and four-night itineraries cruising from Florida to the Caribbean onboard several fleet-favorite cruise ships.
Now, the service will be installed as standard on all supported vehicles. In addition to enabling it at purchase, owners can add the service later or only activate it for months when needed (like for road trips). Break up with your weekly routine and set sail on a memory filled getaway that’ll take you so much further than a standard staycation. Royal Caribbean® offers plenty of bolder-than-ever weekend sailings to some of the Caribbean’s most stunning shores onboard the world’s most incredible cruise ships — no days off required. Which means you can fill your year with even more bucket list adventures. But a key reason BlueCruise works so well is that the driver has to pay attention to the road.
Although BlueCruise has taken notable steps in the right direction for active driver assistance systems, Ford has made some missteps, too. We found that it doesn’t communicate enough information to the driver about when and why they are being told to suddenly put their hands back on the wheel when the system is in its “hands-free” mode. The agency said it intends to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes. It has said it opened the probe due to continued interest in advanced driver assistance systems and how vehicle operators interact with the new technology. But as more BlueCruise-equipped Ford vehicles hit the road, it stands to reason there will be more crashes — and more investigations.
No comments:
Post a Comment