Bermuda Post

Thursday, Oct 03, 2024

Ford launches hands-free driving on UK motorways

Ford launches hands-free driving on UK motorways

Ford drivers will legally be able to take their hands off the wheel on the move after its BlueCruise technology has been approved in the UK.

Ministers have approved the "hands-off, eyes-on" technology for use on certain motorways.

It can control steering, acceleration and braking but a camera will monitor a driver's eyes so they stay alert.

The technology will only be available for 2023 models of Ford's electric Mustang Mach-E SUV at first.

It also means the model can keep a safe distance from other cars and even bring them to a complete stop in traffic jams.

Thatcham Research, an automotive research firm, said it was important to note that this is not a self-driving car but is "the next development in assisted driving technology".

"What makes it different, is that for the first time ever drivers will be permitted to take their hands off the wheel. However, their eyes must remain on the road ahead, " said Tom Leggett, vehicle technology specialist at Thatcham.

He added: "Crucially, the driver is not permitted to use their mobile, fall asleep or conduct any activity that takes attention away from the road."

Ford's car costs £50,830 and while the hands-off technology will be free for the first 90 days, drivers will then have to sign up for a monthly subscription.

Deliveries of the new model started last month. It has a maximum 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 cars on the road.


Transport Minister Jesse Norman said: "The latest advanced driver assistance systems make driving smoother and easier, but they can also help make roads safer by reducing scope for driver error."

Lisa Brankin, managing director of Ford in Britain and Ireland, also told the BBC's Today programme on Friday that the car will only take over when "the system feels it's safe" in certain "blue zones" that have been deemed as safe across 2,300 miles of pre-mapped motorways in England, Scotland and Wales.

"If your eyes are closed, the car will prompt you to put hands onto the steering wheel and take control… It will keep prompting the driver and if they don't respond, the car will steadily slow down to a stop," she said.

She adds that in the case of accidents, the driver will still be fully responsible in insurance claims, as the technology is "not autonomous driving" and the driver is in control.


Ford's BlueCruise technology represents what's known as a "Level 2" driver assistance system, which still requires a human driver to take control should something go wrong.

There are six levels of autonomous driving, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers:

*  Level 0: Very little automation, with features providing some warnings or assistance like automatic braking

*  Level 1: Driver assistance, where the technology controls one aspect such as cruise control

*  Level 2: Partial automation, where two or more aspects of driving are controlled by technology, such as speed regulation and parking done by the car itself

*  Level 3: Conditional automation, where the technology makes nearly all decisions on the road, although the driver still needs to be present to override any potential mistakes. At this stage, drivers could take their eyes off the road for certain periods of time

*  Level 4: High automation, where technology does not require any human interaction in most circumstances. This is currently limited to certain areas where speed limits are low and roads are easy to read. This type of automation is currently restricted by regulation

*  Level 5: Full automation, where no assistance is needed from a human driver at all

In the US and Canada, Ford's technology has been available since 2021. It said that in the last couple of years, more than 190,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles have covered more than 60 million miles using the technology without any accidents reported.

Tesla, which has been testing driverless cars in the US, recently issued a recall affecting 363,000 vehicles after safety officials raised concerns that it could allow drivers to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections unsafely.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said although the technological elements of assisted driving or lane positioning system will bring in "safety benefits", drivers must remain alert.

"It mustn't give drivers a false sense of security. Even with hands-free driving the driver remains in control of the machine", Mr King said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Bermuda Post
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
'I just lost it' Lowe’s worker fired after 13 years of employment for confronting thieves trying to steal $2K of merchandise
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
×