📖 The Quick Answer
On a mapped Blue Zone highway, a blue lighting cluster in the instrument panel signals you can take your hands off the wheel. The car steers, brakes, and accelerates, and (on 1.3+) changes lanes when you signal. An infrared camera tracks eye gaze to make sure you remain attentive.
⚙ How It Works (Sensors and Algorithm)
BlueCruise uses Fords Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 hardware: a forward camera, forward radar, side and rear radars, and a steering-column-mounted infrared driver-monitoring camera. Plus high-definition map data of pre-validated highway segments. The system blends ACC with Stop-and-Go, Lane Centering, and signal-initiated lane changes. If the camera sees your eyes leave the road, the cluster turns red and the system warns then disengages.
🛡 What It Protects Against
Driver fatigue on long highway trips, lane-change conflicts, and rear-end collisions on supported highways.
⚠ Limitations and When It Fails
Only works on 130,000+ miles of mapped Blue Zones. Will not work on city streets, in construction zones, or in poor weather. Requires an active BlueCruise subscription after the included trial period. Drivers must remain attentive and ready to take over.
🚗 Which Vehicles Have It
Available on equipped trims of 2021+ Ford F-150 (including Lightning), 2021+ Mustang Mach-E, 2022+ Ford Expedition, 2023+ Ford Explorer, 2024+ Ford Bronco Sport (select trims), and Lincoln Aviator/Navigator/Nautilus.
🔧 Related TSBs and Recalls
Ford has pushed multiple OTA updates to BlueCruise. NHTSA opened an investigation into BlueCruise in 2024 after several fatal incidents, focused on stationary-vehicle detection. Software updates have addressed identified scenarios.