As technology advances, so do driver assist systems. Ford BlueCruise is becoming more and more capable, and its adoption has skyrocketed since it was first introduced on the 2021 Ford F-150 and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Back in October 2024, The Blue Oval unveiled BlueCruise 1.5 – currently exclusive to the Mustang Mach-E – which adds automatic lane changing capabilities to equipped vehicles. Kevin Wegienka, manager of BlueCruise Core Development, recently detailed how that system works.
Wegienka uses a 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E to demonstrate the feature. He explains that swapping to Ford BlueCruise is easy as hitting the adaptive cruise control button, which relays relevant info to the instrument panel to let users know that the system is active. The system detects a slower moving vehicle and directs the Mustang Mach-E to complete the overtake.
Ford BlueCruise 1.5 also now features the ability to move out of the passing lane if it detects faster traffic approaching from behind, executing another automatic lane change to get out of the way. The system alerts users to its lane change maneuvers with a chime and an alert on the instrument cluster so there are no surprises before the car takes control. All in all, it’s a smooth experience, making things easy for drivers utilizing the system.
The Blue Oval states that Ford BlueCruise 1.5 can automate up to 45 percent of lane changes. If users don’t want BlueCruise to change lanes, they can simply tap the turn signal in the opposite direction or hold onto the steering wheel. Alternatively, Automatic Lane Change can be disabled via the Driver Assistance settings page.
It’s worth noting that BlueCruise 1.5 requires upgraded advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and additional computing power, which is why it won’t be available on older models that are already BlueCruise capable. The 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E boasts that capability thanks to new ADAS sensors and cameras, along with a faster processing unit, upgrades that will expand to other models in the existing lineup in the near future.
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