Ford BlueCruise 1.5 Review

Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving system gets a high-tech update.

Perry Stern | 

Jul 22, 2025 | 4 min read

Perry Stern

While driving a 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E down the freeway at 70 mph, I did the unthinkable. Though other vehicles surrounded the electric Mustang in the adjacent lanes, I let go of the steering wheel. No, I wasn't being an irresponsible driver. I was evaluating the latest version of BlueCruise, Ford's hands-free semi-autonomous driving system.

Perry Stern

BlueCruise Continues to Improve

As Ford rolls out BlueCruise version 1.5, its most advanced version of the technology to date, the first vehicle equipped with it is the electric Mustang Mach-E. That's fitting. After all, the Mach-E is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles Ford sells, and it was the first of the company's models ever to offer BlueCruise.

When Ford introduced the initial iteration of BlueCruise in the 2021 Mustang Mach-E, it was the company's first hands-free driving technology, ready for use on about 97% of North American controlled-access highways. BlueCruise isn't a completely autonomous system because it requires the driver to pay attention to the road to function. A camera confirms that the driver is alert and watching the road.

Since then, Ford has made several updates to BlueCruise, with each version building on the existing features. BlueCruise 1.2 added lane-change assist and in-lane repositioning, while BlueCruise 1.3 and BlueCruise 1.4 improved overall system operation. In some cases, updates are available as over-the-air downloads for vehicles with an active subscription to BlueCruise service.

Perry Stern

New Features for BlueCruise 1.5

BlueCruise 1.5 is one of the most significant advancements since that first version came out on the 2021 Mach-E. In addition to further enhancements to ensure seamless operation in the widest range of conditions, the big news is the introduction of the automatic lane-change feature.

Previously, if the driver used the turn signal to indicate a lane change, the technology would execute it. Now, BlueCruise 1.5 can decide to change lanes on its own. The system automatically detects if the vehicle ahead is moving slower and will initiate a lane change to the left to get around the slower vehicle.

Adding this automatic lane-change feature required additional hardware and a faster processor, which means version 1.5 is not backward compatible and won't be available as an over-the-air update for older instances of BlueCruise.

Perry Stern

Real-World Hands-Free Driving Experience

Ford invited me to spend a short time experiencing the latest version of BlueCruise on southeastern Michigan freeways. Thanks to its powerful electric motors, the Mach-E quickly gets up to highway speed, and when I set the cruise control to 70 mph, the digital driver display immediately showed that BlueCruise was active.

I recently drove a Ford Explorer with BlueCruise 1.2, and the difference between it and BlueCruise 1.5 is noticeable. The newer version inspires more confidence, decisively keeping the Mach-E in the center of the lane. When I encountered a tight curve, the older system would likely have told me to take the wheel, but with version 1.5, the Mach-E slowed a bit, remained in control of the EV, and smoothly returned to 70 mph when the road straightened out.

As I began catching up to a slower vehicle, a notification appeared in the driver display to let me know that BlueCruise 1.5 was initiating a lane change. The turn signal came on and the Mach-E smoothly moved to the left lane. While the action worked perfectly, the system decided to make the lane change while still a considerable distance behind the slower vehicle. I would have waited longer before moving to the left lane.

BlueCruise 1.5 also detects vehicles that are coming from behind. I was still in the left lane after passing the slower vehicle, and when a car came up behind me, the system initiated a lane change to the right to get out of the way. The tech did, however, take a few moments to decide on the lane change. The driver behind me was impatient and went to pass me on the right. The system recognized the vehicle in the lane and canceled the lane change. Once the lane was clear again, BlueCruise 1.5 reinitiated the lane change.

Perry Stern

How to Get BlueCruise on Your Next Ford

Ford is now offering a 90-day free trial subscription for BlueCruise, after which you can continue service on a monthly or annual payment basis.

Additionally, customers can pay a one-time fee of $2,495 at the time of purchase of a 2025 Ford vehicle and enjoy unlimited access to BlueCruise. You can roll that fee into new-vehicle financing, and BlueCruise access remains available for future owners, potentially adding to the vehicle's resale value.

Is it worth the price? It depends on how much time you spend traveling on limited-access highways, but if you decide to get BlueCruise, rest assured that — in my experience — it's one of the best technologies of its kind.

Ford provided the vehicle for this 2025 Mach-E and BlueCruise review and paid for meals during the evaluation period.

Perry Stern

As a small child, Perry was constantly playing with toy cars and trucks, and that enthusiasm for anything motorized with wheels never faded. After college, he moved to Seattle and began his long automotive career working in an automotive consulting firm, helping customers choose the right vehicle for their needs. In the late 1990s, Perry joined Microsoft to work on CarPoint, part of the new Microsoft Network (MSN). He went on to become editor of the site, remaining on staff for 20 years before venturing out on his own. Today, in addition to his work on Capital One Auto Navigator, he still contributes to MSN, as well as J.D. Power, TrueCar.com, and U.S. News & World Report. Perry lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, with his wife and dog, and he still smiles when he sees his 2006 Mazda Miata in the garage.