Ford’s BlueCruise Driver-Assist Feature Set to Receive OTA Updates in 2022

Ford will be postponing over-the-air updates for its BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) until 2022. The hands-free driver-assist feature is Ford’s own version of semi-autonomous driving and it is set to rival GM’s Super Cruise and Tesla’s Autopilot. During their recent earnings call, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley made it clear to investors that the company needed more time to make their BlueCruise system easier and simpler to use for consumers. The ADAS was supposed to receive a series of updates near the end of 2021, however, it seems Ford engineers are in need of some extra time to make the system work as intended.

Ford’s BlueCruise To Receive OTA Updates in 2022

Ford will be releasing over-the-air (OTA) updates for its hands-free driver-assist BlueCruise feature in 2022. The Blue Oval had originally planned to provide consumers with software updates before the end of 2021 however, Ford Ceo Jim Farley said in a recent earnings call that Ford engineers needed more time to make the feature more accessible and easier to use. About improving the BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), Jim Farley said, 

“We wanted to improve the customer experience,” Farley said. “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. Often these Level 2 systems require multiple updates to the car. We want it to be very simple. That took a little bit more work on our team’s part.”

Level 2 systems are those which work in conjunction with several other features to grant drivers the ability to use advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS. These systems use features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, blindspot detection, and pedestrian monitoring. All work together to assist drivers by controlling acceleration, deceleration, and even steering. Ford’s Blue Cruise ADAS will make driving easier and more comfortable. There will even be an active monitoring system in the form of an infrared sensor on the steering column. This will track drivers’ eyes to ensure they are paying attention to the road. This will allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel on prequalified sections of divided highways that Ford has mapped out.

Ford hopes to sell more than 100,000 vehicles equipped with BlueCruise in 2022. The automaker’s 2021 F-150 pickup truck and 2021 Mustang Mach-E SUV will come equipped with the BlueCruise system, however, its functionality will not be ready for OTA updates until 2022. Ford is changing the way people drive. They’re making it easier for drivers to get to their destinations all the while improving the vehicles that take them there. These OTA updates will take humans a step closer to fully autonomous vehicles so it’ll be up to the people to decide how they feel about the next leap in technology. 

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Photo Credit: Ford