The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) scheduled a March 31 hearing to determine the probable cause of two fatal crashes involving Ford Motor’s BlueCruise system. The NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have investigated the hands-free driving technology since 2025. This probe focuses on evaluating system limitations and driver responsiveness.
BlueCruise functions as a hands-free system on 97% of U.S. and Canadian highways. The technology operates exclusively on roadways that lack intersections or traffic signals.
The hearing results could significantly impact Ford’s autonomous driving roadmap. Findings may trigger increased regulatory scrutiny, required system modifications, or a loss of consumer confidence in the technology.