Ford drivers will be able to legally take their hands off the wheel while on the go following Blue Cruise technology is approved in Britain.
The government has approved “hands-free, road-focused” technology for use on some highways.
The new technology has the ability to control steering, speed and stopping (braking), but there will be a camera to monitor the driver’s eyes so that he remains alert.
The technology will initially be available for electric Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV models.
It also means that this model can maintain a safe distance from other cars, and even come to a complete stop in traffic jams.
Automotive research firm Thatcham Research said it was important to keep in mind that this was not a self-driving car but “the next development in assistive driving technology”.
Tom Leggett, vehicle technology specialist at Thatcham, said: “What makes it different is that for the first time drivers will be allowed to take their hands off the wheel. But their eyes must remain on the road ahead.”
He added, “The driver is absolutely not allowed to use his mobile phone, sleep, or do any activity that gets out of the way.”
The Ford is priced at £50,830 and while the hands-off technology will be free for the first 90 days, drivers will have to sign up for a monthly subscription.
Deliveries of the new model began last month. It has a top speed of 80mph and uses both cameras and sensors to detect lane markings and speed signs, as well as the position and speed of other vehicles on the road.
Transport Secretary Jesse Norman said: “The latest advanced driver assistance systems make driving smoother and easier, but they can also help make roads safer by reducing the driver’s room for error.”
Lisa Branke, Ford’s managing director of Britain and Ireland, told the BBC on Friday that the car would only take over when the system “feels safe” in certain “blue zones” deemed safe on England’s 2,300 miles of pre-designated motorways. and Scotland and Wales.
She said, “If you close your eyes, the car will prompt you to put your hands on the steering wheel and take control. It will continue to prompt the driver and if he does not respond, the car will steadily slow down until it comes to a stop.”
She adds that in the event of accidents, the driver will still be fully liable in insurance claims, because the technology is “not self-driving” and the driver is in control of the vehicle.
Ford’s Blue Cruise technology is what’s known as a “Level 2” driver assistance system, which still requires a human driver to take control if something goes wrong.
There are six levels of autonomous driving, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers:
Level 0: No self-driving at all
Level 1: Driver assistance, where technology controls one aspect such as cruise control
Level 2: Partially autonomous driving, where two or more aspects of driving are controlled by technology, such as cruise control
Level three: conditional autonomous driving, where technology makes almost all decisions on the road, although the driver still needs to be present to override any possible errors. At this point, drivers can take their eyes off the road for certain periods of time
Level 4: Highly autonomous driving, where the technology requires no human interaction in most circumstances. This is currently limited to certain areas where the speed limits are low and the roads are easy to read. This type of technology is currently restricted by regulations
Level 5: Fully autonomous driving, where no human driver assistance is required at all
In the United States and Canada, Ford’s technology has been available since 2021. In the past two years, more than 190,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles have driven more than 60 million miles using the technology, it said, without reporting any accidents.
