The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a preliminary inquiry into Ford Motor’s BlueCruise hands-free driving feature following two incidents involving Mustang Mach-E vehicles colliding with stationary objects.
The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is delving into BlueCruise, which offers partial driving automation while requiring active supervision from the driver.
Both accidents occurred in low-light conditions, resulting in fatalities, NHTSA reports. Initial findings show BlueCruise was engaged in both vehicles before the collisions.
BlueCruise operates on specific roads and employs a camera-based driver monitoring system to assess driver alertness.
The investigation aims to assess the system’s performance in dynamic driving situations and driver monitoring, according to the NHTSA.