As someone who doesn’t even like driving an automatic car, relinquishing more control to a ‘driverless’ vehicle was always going to be nerve-racking.
And as I got into the driver’s seat of a Mustang Mach-E (from £50,800) to experience its BlueCruise ‘hands-off’ system yesterday, I maintained a firm grip of the steering wheel.
But once on the M40 I was instructed to press a small button and sit back and relax – if I could – as the car took over.
As a monitor above the wheel lit up blue to indicate the system was activated, I nervously took my hands off the wheel.
The system monitors road markings, speed signs and traffic conditions, and controls the steering, acceleration, braking and lane position.
It allows the car to maintain a safe distance from the vehicles ahead and slows to a stop in a traffic jam.
As I got into the driver’s seat of a Mustang Mach-E (from £50,800) to experience its BlueCruise ‘hands-off’ system yesterday, I maintained a firm grip of the steering wheel
As someone who doesn’t even like driving an automatic car, relinquishing more control to a ‘driverless’ vehicle was always going to be nerve-racking
A camera inside the car also monitors the driver to check their gaze – even when wearing sunglasses – and sounds an alarm if they take their eyes off the road – beeping when I briefly looked over my shoulder at my passengers in the back.
If the driver does not respond – for example if they have had a heart attack at the wheel – it slows the car down to seven miles per hour.
The technology comes as standard on the latest 2023 model of Ford’s Mustang Mach-E.
It can now be used on 2,300 miles of motorway in England, Scotland and Wales after Britain became the first country in Europe to approve the technology.
Ford’s system is free for the first 90 days but then owners must then pay £17.99 a month.
The technology comes as standard on the latest 2023 model of Ford’s Mustang Mach-E
As a monitor above the wheel lit up blue to indicate the system was activated, I nervously took my hands off the wheel
The system monitors road markings, speed signs and traffic conditions, and controls the steering, acceleration, braking and lane position
Initially I found it hard to trust the technology and there were a few times as we approached a lorry that I came close to grabbing the wheel and putting my foot on the brake.
Five cameras on the front and sides of the car mean it’s also constantly manoeuvring slightly to keep the vehicle in the centre of the lane – which is pretty unnerving at 70mph on the motorway.
But it was amazing how quickly I got used to it, so much so that I had to be reminded to put my foot on the accelerator when we turned off the motorway.
While I enjoyed the ride, I don’t think I’m quite ready to hand over to a computer just yet. I kept my hands firmly on the steering wheel as I trundled home in my manual VW.
