Analysis of BlueCruise in rural southwest. What's your experience?

[mrtull]

I've had my Blue Cruise free trial for just shy of a month, and I've used it multiple times. Here is my take on it and driver assistance:

• Works well, when it works - When I'm on i25, it's the easiest drive to Albuquerque (about 75 miles) and if that was my daily commute this would be a keeper. However, when I go off on US highways, it just drops off. I'm not sure why... I'm not talking county roads or back alleys. US Highway 380, a significant route east into Texas since the only two interstates, I40 and I10, are a few hundred miles apart, and it didn't work once.
  
  
• Got the wobble - I read about the TSB identifying that the steering wheel wobble. I didn't see it as that big of a deal (for now) but my wife said it was nauseating. She can't wait until the free trial ends (she doesn't geek out like I do). I am going to call the dealer about it.
  
  
• YRMV, but mine works with a grill guard - I added a grill guard to my 22 that did not have adaptive cruise control or front sensors, so it didn't matter. When i ended up upgrading, they moved the grill guard over. However, HDX flat out says it will interfere and they have no adaptors. As much as that sucks, the adaptive cruise control still works perfectly. I'm not sure if I just got lucky or if HDX just assumes it will never work and have written it off. I still need to relocate front sensors, but I start a welding class Tuesday night...
  
  
• Lane Centering works so well its unusable - I'm impressed with Lane Centering and really wish I could use it. I don't mind having to keep a hand on the steering wheel because I can relax it and just be ready if I need to take over steering. But it keeps the car so straight that the "brains" think I'm not steering because there is no need to turn the wheel at all. The constant warning to keep both hands on steering wheel, even cancelling itself at times, just makes it difficult to use at best. I'm going to try the 1 lb weight trick but its just annoying that it is not more usable.

All in all, as much as I like Blue Cruise, I see it as just a way to charge users for the tech that should work automatically. Why can blue cruise, which monitors my eyes while active, control the steering wheel fine but when it's inactive, lane centering can't? I still get "Watch the Road" warnings, so it is still monitoring my eyes. It just nags me every 2 minutes to keep both hands on the steering wheel. As much as I admire the tech, I'm saddened that it's only a matter of time before they charge a subscription for everything, including driving.

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[n1chu]

I find a through knowledge of Blue Cruise, when to use it and when not, is necessary. Then once you know what to expect it’s time to fully evaluate it. Your findings gave me the impression you are trying it on non- limited access highways, 2 lane state roads and secondary town/city roads in addition to interstate type limited access highways. I believe it is intended solely for the interstate limited access highways and wouldn’t trust it anywhere you have crossing traffic. If there are full fledged traffic lights on your route don’t use Blue Cruise. I also have found it’s not always correct while on the interstates, that’s why they have an additional sensing system that watches your eyes-to make sure you keep them on the road. Otherwise a warning will appear along with an audible warning and if not addressed the Blue Cruise will shut off. But there have been instances where the Blue Cruise took me right off of the highway’s travel lanes onto an exit, without being in the exit lane, without warning. So, Blue Cruise should come with a warning about it not being foolproof. As far as the Lane Centering is concerned, I had a cop follow me while I had it on… and asked him afterwards what he thought… he said I looked like a drunken sailor, abrupt corrections had me weaving all over the place. But I get what the intention is here and if you obey the posted speed limits it “holds” the lane better. Just don’t exceed the speed limit like I have done while familiarizing myself because I’m guessing it’s only set up to keep you in the lane and dependant upon the speed of your vehicle.
In both cases it imperative you stay alert because both systems are no where near infallible. I like Blue Cruise and use it but the lane keeper is junk on the secondary roads

 

[xxlt250rxx]

I have 19,000 miles on my 24. All but 300 miles are trips over 600 miles one way. These are between Alabama and Virginia and Alabama and Oklahoma. Blue Cruise works about 95% of the time and is almost flawless on the interstates. Most of the time when it drops out, I am over 80 miles per hour. Stay under 80 and its almost perfect. It will alert you to put your hands on the wheel if a really tight curve is coming up. After the curve Blue Cruise take over again. It did take a minute to start trusting it. The cost per year is too much but I love it.

 

[Gator9329]

Yeah the price is way more then it's worth at this point.
Maybe when more roads are mapped I'll consider it.

 

[moritzes]

• Lane Centering works so well its unusable - I'm impressed with Lane Centering and really wish I could use it. I don't mind having to keep a hand on the steering wheel because I can relax it and just be ready if I need to take over steering. But it keeps the car so straight that the "brains" think I'm not steering because there is no need to turn the wheel at all. The constant warning to keep both hands on steering wheel, even cancelling itself at times, just makes it difficult to use at best. I'm going to try the 1 lb weight trick but its just annoying that it is not more usable.

Yeah, I hate that warning and used to think that the truck just wasn't sensing my hands on the wheel. Turns out it doesn't try to sense that your hands are there, but is instead looking for your hands to move the wheel every so often. So a tiny jiggle to the steering wheel, not even enough to move the car at all, will keep that alarm from going off. This does not seem like a particularly sophisticated solution, but it works!

 

[Covfefe Mofo]

Blue Cruise needs to be more intelligent / more useful before I would ever pay for it. I will keep it enabled through the 1 year trial hoping that there will be additional updates to evaluate.

 

[Miloaksrider]

Blue Cruise needs to be more intelligent / more useful before I would ever pay for it. I will keep it enabled through the 1 year trial hoping that there will be additional updates to evaluate.

In socal. Use it every chance I get. Since latest update, curves and lane changes are nice. When next to campers, big rigs etc, hardly notice the chance. Overall I love it and will happily pay after my 3 years is up.

 

[Gator9329]

I only got a 90 day trial.
Wish I had got the del others had.
Not sure why when I bought the truck this June the deal was so bad.

 

[mrtull]

I only got a 90 day trial.
Wish I had got the del others had.
Not sure why when I bought the truck this June the deal was so bad.

Same here! I’m hoping when it’s time to pay, I respond “Hell no” with enough courtesy they offer me a free year.

 

[gb7FRz26]

Not to send y'all down a rabbit hole but have you seen the threads on replacing BlueCruise with an aftermarket system?

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/openpilot-on-the-f-150-bluecruise-alternative.19342/

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...rd-specific-fork-for-comma3x-openpilot.24241/

My '21 has the J3016 level 2 stuff "co-pilot 360 assist 2.0" on the sticker, never had full BlueCruise with the yearly fee. I might try one of these out one day, but right now stock is still great for stop/go highway traffic.

 

[moritzes]

Unfortunately, I don't think OpenPilot works on 2024+ trucks due to an added encryption module.

 

[gb7FRz26]

Freakin' BOOOOO.

 

[mrtull]

Not to send y'all down a rabbit hole but have you seen the threads on replacing BlueCruise with an aftermarket system?

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/openpilot-on-the-f-150-bluecruise-alternative.19342/

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...rd-specific-fork-for-comma3x-openpilot.24241/

My '21 has the J3016 level 2 stuff "co-pilot 360 assist 2.0" on the sticker, never had full BlueCruise with the yearly fee. I might try one of these out one day, but right now stock is still great for stop/go highway traffic.

I eventually want to try those... I've had 360 cameras but never really had active assist until now. But definitely on the to do list. =)

 

[RossRR]

I find a through knowledge of Blue Cruise, when to use it and when not, is necessary. Then once you know what to expect it’s time to fully evaluate it. Your findings gave me the impression you are trying it on non- limited access highways, 2 lane state roads and secondary town/city roads in addition to interstate type limited access highways. I believe it is intended solely for the interstate limited access highways and wouldn’t trust it anywhere you have crossing traffic.

Actually, on BlueCruise equipped trucks, BlueCruise is also the lane centering function when not on Ford mapped restricted access roadways . If you want to drive those secondary roads with lane centering to help keep the truck between the lane lines, you have to activate BlueCruise. Because of this, BlueCruise is active 100% of the time on my truck.

I find that on secondary roads if I keep one hand on my lap with a finger hooked over the bottom of the steering wheel and keeping just a tiny bit of rotational pressure on the wheel, BlueCruise is happy and I don't get those annoying "keep hands on wheel" messages every 30 seconds. I do still get the "keep eyes on the road" messages, though, if my eyes linger on a particular mirror too long or if I look at something off to one side or the other too long.

From my experience, the BlueCruise "hands free" driving system is not sophisticated enough to warrant spending any money to maintain it on my truck. Unless something changes from Ford, when the free trial is done, I'm done with it.

 

[ColoradoHunter]

For the lane centering I put one hand on the spoke at 3 or 9 and rarely get any warnings. Just the weight of your hand is enough pressure to prevent the warnings and it won't wonder.

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