Drivers on Britain’s motorways are being allowed to let go of steering wheels for the first time, after the UK became the first European country to approve a hands-free system. Ford said it has been given the go-ahead by the Government to switch on its BlueCruise self-driving technology.
The system is only available on the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E, a pure electric vehicle. Five radars track the position and speed of other vehicles, while a forward-facing camera detects lane markings and speed signs.
At a cost of £17.99 a month, BlueCruise can be activated to control functions such as steering, acceleration, braking and lane positioning on the vast majority of Britain’s motorways. Although users can take their hands off the wheel, an infrared camera checks they are keeping their eyes on the road in case human intervention is required.
If the system detects a driver is not paying attention, warning messages will be displayed on the dashboard, followed by audible alerts and then the automatic slowing of the vehicle. The same process happens if a vehicle leaves a motorway. Times journalist Ben Clatworthy tried the new technology on the M40.
Ben said the car kept going, until they hit a storm. He said: "At first the car holds its own but as the April showers begin to lash and the glare from the road increases, the system decides it’s had enough. A red warning symbol appears on the screen: 'Take back control'."
Ben said the system clicked back in when the weather improved, adding: "I have to resist schoolboy urges to wave at other drivers as we pass them, although we do get some wary looks as people notice me sitting there with my arms folded. When we pass a police car there’s a small part of me that hopes they’ll pull me over, giving me the satisfaction of explaining that my seemingly reckless driving is in fact perfectly legal."
He concluded: "Ford is not wrong when it says this is the future. It may just need a little refinement for the gloriously wet British weather."
