The automaker that implemented mass production and affordable cars over 100 years ago is now making modern driver-assist features more accessible. Ford offers the Co-Pilot360 active safety suite in some form on almost every model it sells.
Ford’s next generation of active safety functionality starts with the 2021 Mustang Mach-E and 2021 F-150. Those two vehicles are available with a Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep package that, starting in the second half of 2021, will include Ford’s new BlueCruise Level 2 driver-assist tech. The new system will enable true hands-free driving on over 100,000 miles of highway in the United States and Canada, like General Motors’ Super Cruise.
Unlike the more basic systems, BlueCruise works with a seriously impressive collection of hardware. The sensors included high-resolution GPS, three radar units, and a camera mounted high on the windshield. There’s also an infrared camera mounted behind the steering wheel facing the driver to monitor the driver’s attention level. The system adds lane-following capability (new to Ford), and once the vehicle is centered in its lane and is located in a Hands-Free Blue Zone, a “Hands Free” icon appears alongside an image of the vehicle with concentric circles emanating out to indicate the system is monitoring its surroundings.
Read the article at MotorTrend.
