ford may now also in Germany Sell cars with a semi-autonomous driving feature that allows drivers to take their hands off the handlebars on certain sections of the highway. The Federal Motor Transport Authority has given the go-ahead for the so-called Blue Cruise technology, the company announced on Monday in Cologne. “Data from more than a million test kilometers collected worldwide formed the basis for successful approval in Germany,” said Ford manager Torsten Wey.
With “Blue Cruise”, drivers must continue to keep an eye on the traffic: if they fall asleep or surf the Internet on their smartphone, an infrared camera detects this and a warning tone sounds. It’s getting louder. If the driver still doesn’t react, the car slows down a bit. Initially, the Blue Cruise function will only be available in the Mustang Mach-E electric sports car, but customers will be able to place orders for it in a few weeks.
In the USA and in Canada 194,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles have already covered a total of 175 million kilometers in Blue Cruise mode. According to Ford, users reach their destination in a more relaxed manner.
The company currently has other construction sites open. Ford Europe’s first electric car is delayed. A company spokesman announced in Cologne in mid-August that the new model would not be delivered until summer 2024. The company had previously aimed to start production at the end of this year, with the first deliveries only a little later.
3,500 employees in Cologne production are affected by the change in plan. There is still work to be done on prototypes and other tasks. But the big start of series production is a long way off. The reason for the delay is that the car is supposed to meet a new battery standard and that takes more time. Experts are surprised because the standard has been known for a long time.
“The effects on the employees must be explored in talks with the employer,” said the head of the works council at the Ford works, Benjamin Gruschka (43).