Overreliance on Ford’s automated driving system caused deaths, NTSB says

The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday concluded that drivers of two Ford vehicles who caused fatal crashes relied too heavily on the auto company’s hands-free driving system, BlueCruise. BlueCruise is available for newer Ford vehicles on most highways, and advertises automated braking, steering, and lane changes. The 2024 crashes resulted in only minor injuries to the Ford drivers, but killed three drivers of other vehicles.

Other factors also contributed to the fatal crashes, according to the board’s report. One Ford driver was distracted by their vehicle’s screen, while the other was impaired by substance use and possibly looking at a cell phone. Also, in both instances, the cars they struck were on the highway but not moving, due to outside circumstances including a work zone in one of the incidents. Additionally, in both incidents, a vehicle in front of the Ford drivers executed quick lane-changes in order to avoid the vehicles that were ultimately struck. However, the board found that neither the Ford drivers nor the BlueCruise system steered or braked the vehicles in the seconds before impact.

What recommendations did the NTSB issue to the Department of Transportation and Ford?

• The federal government should develop stronger guidelines and performance standards for the safety of partially automated driving systems like BlueCruise, the NTSB said. One recommended change would be requiring companies that use such systems to record more comprehensive crash data.

• Companies should improve their own driver monitoring systems to detect distracted drivers, according to the NTSB. Ford should tweak its BlueCruise system to reduce excessive speeding, the board said. BlueCruise also currently allows drivers to use its system while the emergency braking system is turned off, a safety issue that should be addressed, the board said.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on Tiger Woods’ recent car crash.