How to Fix BlueCruise Refusing To Enter Hands-Free Mode

[Pioneer74]

To the people new to Ford vehicles, the message "hands on the wheel" means the truck hasn't seen any input in torque to the steering wheel. There are no sensors in the steering wheel itself. It measures turning force to the wheel.

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[vandy1981]

I think you do have a button to disable BlueCruise, though - the "lane keeping assist" button on the steering wheel? Or are you talking about a button to separate BlueCruise from BlueCruise hands-free?

BlueCruise is only hands free. The basic lane centering is branded as Co-pilot Assist. The branding is confusing and I'm not even sure I'm getting it right.

I think the main problems with Blue Cruise are the lack of explanation when it doesn't engage and the lack if indication when it engages/disengaged. At the very least, it should also have some sort of indicator light that warns you when it's disengaged like you have in GM's Supercruise. The eye tracking sensor windows would have been a great location for an indicator light.

My guess is that it is not the camera sensing your hands, it's the wheel itself.

The wheel uses a torque sensor to determine if your hands are on the wheel. That's why a wrist weight tied around the wheel can fool the system so easily.

 

[fubar79]

@Pioneer74 and @vandy1981

Thanks for the clarity!

Not new to Ford vehicles, just driver assistance features.

 

[FlasherZ]

I have an XLT, so no Blue Cruise, but I had the same issue with Co-Pilot 360 at first. My hands were on the wheel, but it still kept prompting me to put my hands on the wheel. My guess is that it is not the camera sensing your hands, it's the wheel itself. Now when it gives me the "hands on the wheel" prompt, I just nudge the wheel a 1/4", and the prompt goes away.

Sorry, the flipping off the camera was just a response to the truck's nagging messages. I know it's a torque sensor, just like Tesla, although it seems to be less sensitive than Tesla's.

BlueCruise is only hands free. The basic lane centering is branded as Co-pilot Assist. The branding is confusing and I'm not even sure I'm getting it right.

That wasn't my understanding. When I'm on a local state highway and I engage cruise, the truck says something like "Bluecruise on, keep your hands on the wheel".

Then when I get onto the Interstate highway, it then says "Bluecruise hands-free".

Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but the truck gave me the impression on my state highway that lane-keeping is called BlueCruise (just not BlueCruise hands-free).

And I do agree it's confusing branding.

 

[Aminorjourney]

Sorry, the flipping off the camera was just a response to the truck's nagging messages. I know it's a torque sensor, just like Tesla, although it seems to be less sensitive than Tesla's.



That wasn't my understanding. When I'm on a local state highway and I engage cruise, the truck says something like "Bluecruise on, keep your hands on the wheel".

Then when I get onto the Interstate highway, it then says "Bluecruise hands-free".

Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but the truck gave me the impression on my state highway that lane-keeping is called BlueCruise (just not BlueCruise hands-free).

And I do agree it's confusing branding.

On regular roads, BlueCruise works just like Autopilot if it can see the lane markings and can keep you centered. Autopilot requires you to keep your hands on the wheel, and in this situation, BlueCruise is the same. You can feel the truck steer for you.

On divided lane highways where BlueCruise has been set up for hands-free, you get hands-free bluecruise

 

[cvalue13]

Good ol' turning it off and back on again (but to the extreme!)

Take it out of the console and blow hard into it, should be good as new

 

[hturnerfamily]

Co-Pilot 360 ASSIST is automated steering, where you must apply a small amount of torque/turn of the steering wheel periodically, and adaptive cruise control.

Co-Pilot 360 ACTIVE is BLUE CRUISE, meaning 'hands free' automated steering, since the equipment sensors can read your eyes, rather than having to torque/turn the steering wheel periodically, and adaptive cruise control, of course.

so, when Blue Cruise cannot activate on the road you are driving, you are by default in ASSIST mode, where you can certainly enjoy your drive without much steering.


Co-Pilot 360 base, like on the PRO, includes some automated safety features, but not the automated driving features - you are in total control of steering, like old school.

Could the 'naming' be better? Yes, it does get confusing, since Blue Cruise is really just an extra 'hands free' EXTENSION of the ACTIVE driving mode. If you have Active, you have Blue Cruise.
Ford is simply BRANDING the extra 'hands free' driving mode part of ACTIVE.

Clear as mud.

 

[TaxmanHog]

This thread covers the experiences I've had over the past day using the system, worked very well on I95 & I495, and major state highways like rt-1, etc., other roads and it refused to operate with out my "hands on the wheel"

I love the adaptive CC, no longer have to +/- 1-2-3 mph for slowpokes on the freeway and back country roads.

Lane keeping was good except in sections of highway that have worn out line striping, many section of 495 have this issue.

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