Ford’s hands-free driving technology, called Ford BlueCruise, has allowed thousands of North America customers in the U.S. and Canada to experience fully automated driving on a network of mapped highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones. Now, the BlueCruise technology is going abroad as Ford launches the technology in Great Britain.
“It is great news that Ford has chosen us for the European launch of its BlueCruise technology, and I am delighted that this country is once more at the forefront of innovation,” said Jesse Norman, UK Transport Minister. “The latest advanced driver assistance systems make driving smoother and easier, but they can also help make roads safer by reducing scope for driver error.”
BlueCruise has officially been given regulatory approval from the UK’s Department for Transport to be used on the motorway network in Great Britain. This is the first time that a system like this has been approved in Europe. More than 2,300 miles of road in England, Scotland, and Wales have been mapped and designated as Blue Zones, and British drivers with Ford vehicles equipped with BlueCruise will be able to utilize the feature on them very soon. The technology is available in the UK via subscription. The first 90 days are included with the vehicle purchase, and the subscription costs £17.99 per month afterwards.
“It’s not every day that you can say you’ve placed one foot in the future, but Ford BlueCruise becoming the first hands-free driving system of its kind to receive approval for use in a European country is a significant step forward for our industry,” said Martin Sander, general manager, Ford Model e, Europe. “Modern highways can be demanding even for the most confident drivers, and intimidating for many. BlueCruise can do some of the ‘heavy lifting’, to make highway driving less of a chore, and give drivers that little extra confidence and convenience.”
“Today marks a significant moment for our industry as Ford BlueCruise becomes the first hands-free driving system of its kind to receive approval for use in Great Britain,” added Lisa Brankin, managing director, Ford UK & Ireland. “We have always strived to make technology accessible for our customers, and BlueCruise is the next step on this journey, making motorway driving a more comfortable experience.”
Ford BlueCruise will continue to become available in other European countries as regulatory conditions permit over the next few years. The American version of Ford BlueCruise is something that you can experience right now, so be sure to check out our inventory to see what we have in stock!