Ford is testing an F-150 that literally has a huge bump full of technology on its roof. It is almost certainly related to Blue Cruise, Ford’s autonomous driving software and hardware.
Ford is introducing Blue Cruise this year on the Mustang Mach-E, the F-150 and the recently presented Evos. This makes these cars able to drive semi-autonomously. In concrete terms, it means that they can drive independently on motorways mapped by Ford. A combination of Lane Keeping Assist and adaptive cruise control ensures that the driver can keep your hands off the wheel and your feet off the pedals and lean back while the car does its job. That is anything but groundbreaking, but Ford is probably working with this F-150 on the next chapter of Blue Cruise.
The next step, of course, is that Fords can also find their way in uncharted areas. Driving independently through more complex areas, such as busy inner cities, must also become a reality this decade. This F-150, full of sensors and cameras, seems to play a role in this. This pickup is driving around an enclosed site somewhere in Michigan to safely test Ford’s developments in this area. It remains to be seen when ‘Blue Cruise 2.0’ will be introduced. The Mustang Mach-E, which will soon be provided with Blue Cruise via over-the-air updates, is probably the first car with which we can try out the possibilities.