In recent developments, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun an investigation into two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise, a partially automated driving system. These incidents, which tragically resulted in the deaths of three individuals, involved Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles operating under nighttime lighting conditions on freeways. Preliminary investigations by the agency suggest that Blue Cruise was active at the time of the collisions.
One of these crashes occurred in San Antonio, Texas, in February, leading to one fatality. Another incident took place in Philadelphia in March, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The purpose of the investigation is to evaluate the performance of Blue Cruise in various driving tasks and to scrutinize its camera-based driver monitoring system for potential enhancements.
Ford has pledged its full cooperation with the NHTSA as they delve deeper into these incidents. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is already involved in the investigation of the San Antonio crash, confirmed that Blue Cruise was operational during that specific incident. While the NTSB can propose recommendations, the NHTSA has the authority to enforce necessary measures, including issuing recalls for safety reasons.
Ford underscores on its website that their driving systems are not intended to replace human drivers, who must remain vigilant and prepared to take control at any moment. The incidents involving Mustang Mach-E vehicles highlight the critical need for human involvement and alertness, despite the advanced capabilities of technologies like Blue Cruise.
It’s important to note that the investigations by the NHTSA and NTSB are part of a larger trend of increased scrutiny on partially automated driving systems. Recently, the NHTSA also initiated an inquiry into the effectiveness of Tesla’s solution for a previous recall concerning over 2 million vehicles equipped with Autopilot. Safety agencies are dedicated to ensuring that all automated driving systems adhere to stringent safety standards to prevent accidents and protect public welfare.