Ford’s innovative BlueCruise hands-free driving technology has been greenlit for use in 15 European countries following the European Commission’s approval. This breakthrough opens up over 133,000 kilometers (82,744 miles) of designated highways, known as Blue Zones, to customers eager to experience hands-free driving across Europe. For instance, one can now journey hands-free from Sweden to Italy, traversing nearly 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) and spending over 25 hours on the road without touching the steering wheel.
This Level 2 “hands-off, eyes-on” advanced driver assistance system is currently the most extensively available system of its kind in Europe. BlueCruise is offered to customers on all new Mustang Mach-E vehicles across 20 countries globally. Additionally, owners of earlier model year Mustang Mach-E vehicles in select regions will soon have the option to activate BlueCruise via a software update.
In 2023, BlueCruise became the first system to gain approval for hands-free driving on highways in Europe, debuting in Great Britain. Ford also led the way in Spain, becoming the first automaker to offer customers the ability to drive hands-free on highways.
“BlueCruise aims to make highway driving more comfortable and enjoyable, whether you’re in stop-and-go traffic or embarking on a long road trip. With this latest approval, we can extend BlueCruise access to even more customers throughout Europe,” stated Ashley Lambrix, BlueCruise General Manager at Ford Motor Company. “Expanding Blue Zones beyond Great Britain, Germany, and Spain is a significant milestone, allowing for hands-free driving across multiple countries.”
When activated, BlueCruise takes control of steering, acceleration, braking, lane positioning, and maintaining safe distances from other vehicles by monitoring road markings, speed signs, and traffic conditions. This system allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel in Blue Zones while ensuring they stay attentive to the road.
To guarantee drivers remain focused, a driver-facing camera beneath the instrument cluster monitors eye gaze and head position, even when drivers wear sunglasses.
Customers can explore BlueCruise with a complimentary 90-day trial, making long drives and stop-and-go traffic less stressful and more enjoyable. After the trial, customers can choose between an annual or monthly subscription, with the flexibility to activate or cancel as needed.
Currently, over 420,000 vehicles worldwide are equipped with BlueCruise technology across Ford and Lincoln models. These vehicles have collectively covered more than 342 million hands-free kilometers (213 million miles), amounting to over 3.1 million hours of driving time.
