Ford received the OK from Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) to turn on its Level 2 advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) on the European country's high-speed roads known as Autobahns. The Blue Oval may need to catch up to Tesla in the US, but it's trying its best to win over the pond. Here's what you need to know.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) is cheaper in Europe for one good reason – it can't do what it promises just yet. Therefore, the ADAS is priced at nearly half the cost Americans and Canadians see when configuring their new EVs or looking through the menu to add it after the acquisition.
But just like Tesla, Ford has its own SAE J3016 Level 2 advanced driver-assistance system that intends to relieve the driver of their duties. But instead of giving it a cheeky name like Tesla did, the Blue Oval didn't want to get into legal trouble with the authorities. Thus, it named its system BlueCruise, while Lincoln units come with Active Glide.
A SAE J3016 Level 2 ADAS means the driver is always responsible for what happens and must continue paying attention to their surroundings even when the suite is turned on. There's no going around it, and regulators know what's happening. If they don't, they'll just ask, precisely like the NHTSA recently did by ordering Tesla to share specifics about "Elon Mode."
In the US, Ford's hands-free eyes on BlueCruise works on vetted highway portions known as Blue Zones. These are pre-mapped roads that the system learned what they look like with the help of testers. In North America, there are over 130,000 miles of such Blue Zones available.
The automaker claims that over 194,000 of its vehicles sold to North American customers are equipped with this system, and nearly 109 million miles have been covered with BlueCruise turned on.
After debuting the system on qualified roads in the UK's England, Scotland, and Wales in early April, it's time for Germany to become a BlueCruise country.
Photo: Ford
But in the official press release (in German), the automaker didn't specify that Blue Zones would include the famous no-speed limit highways known as Autobahns. That was confirmed by the CEO of Ford Werke GmbH, Martin Sander, who is also the General Manager of Ford Model e Europe, the Blue Oval's division handling EVs and possibly even direct sales.
Sadly, Ford doesn't say what portions of the Autobahns are covered, nor does it share the maximum speed at which the system can operate. In the US, the limit is set at 80 mph, but users said they could put it at 90 mph on some highways.
For now, Ford's BlueCruise works only on the Mustang Mach-E in Germany. Next time you visit the Old Continent country, rent the all-electric crossover SUV and enjoy some well-deserved hands-free driving!
Just like in the US, European drivers aren't typically allowed to take their hands off the steering wheel. But with BlueCruise turned on, they will be able to do it. Other competitors like Audi or Mercedes-Benz have similar systems enabled. BMW also created its own Level 2 ADAS, but it doesn't permit drivers to go hands-free while behind the wheel just yet.
Finally, Tesla hasn't received similar approval for its FSD Beta ADAS in Europe or the US.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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