Blog Posts
Feb 1, 2022
by Jarryd Neves Technology / 4 Comments
Well, this is disappointing.
Ford's BlueCruise technology is, perhaps, one of the most promising examples of semi-autonomous driving technology currently available to customers. The Blue Oval's tech allows for hands-free driving on pre-mapped stretches of highway across the country. Through the automation of vehicle acceleration, braking and steering, it could very well give Tesla's Autopilot a run for its money.
But much to the chagrin of F-150 Raptor owners, the handy feature will not be made available to the desert-storming truck. This is according to sources close to the matter, who told Ford Authority thatthe advanced driver-assistance technology has compatibility issues with the Raptor's off-road-oriented software. This will affect every Raptor - even models equipped with the hardware preparation kit. At this stage, Raptor owners (current and future) will not be able to enjoy the feature.
The Dearborn-based carmaker is clearly concerned about customer contentment, launching a campaign to compensate owners who had opted for BlueCruise. 2021 Raptor owners who selected the hardware preparation kit will be reimbursed $795 or for the total cost of the kit. 2022 Raptor models will have the $1,395 figure deducted from their totals, with each receiving updated Monroney labels to reflect the changes.
Sources note the software issues are specific to the Raptor, with the company unable to make BlueCruise compatible with the rock-crawling F-150. From here on out, F-150 owners will have to sign a form accepting the fact that the self-driving technology will not work on their vehicles and, furthermore, that they will not be charged for the option.
While the technology won't be making an appearance in Raptor F-150s, BlueCruise has been available on the electric Mustang Mach-E and regular derivatives of the F-150 pickup truck. Additionally, it is reported that the full-sized Ford Expedition will also receive the self-driving tech, along with its upmarket cousin, the Lincoln Navigator.
Hopefully, Ford will be able to correct the issue causing the incompatibility of BlueCruise in Raptor models at some point in the future. As the race toward self-driving technology truly heats up, it would be a pity if Ford's hottest truck missed out on BlueCruise.
