According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it is investigating 129,222 Ford vehicles with BlueCruise, the automaker's hands-free driving technology, after multiple reports of accidents involving the system, including two fatal crashes.  

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The probe focuses on Ford Mustang Mach-E models and other vehicles’ BlueCruise semi-autonomous driving system. The technology allows hands-free driving on approved highways while monitoring driver attentiveness using cameras and sensors. BlueCruise runs on 97 per cent of highways in the United States and Canada with no intersections or traffic signals.  

Two fatal accidents leading to the investigation gave cause to question how well BlueCruise performs and stays safe under real-world conditions, be that the road conditions or the driver's ability to stay sober. The incidents carried out by NHTSA have not given their exact details but reveal other issues with hands-free driving systems in the automotive industry.  

BlueCruise was introduced by Ford as part of its push into the budding market for semi-autonomous vehicles, with features such as lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and driver monitoring. The goal of these technologies is to make driving more convenient and safer — especially on long highway journeys. Regulators, however, have eyed the implementation and effectiveness of driver assistance systems following incidents.  

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This comes after similar steps by the NHTSA in pursuing advanced driving technologies from other automakers, as regulators begin to show increased interest in these systems as automakers deploy them. Supporters like to stress the possibility of reducing human error when driving, but opponents contend that a lack of understanding of the capabilities and limitations of such technologies could eventually lead to accidents.  

The probe has not been officially commented on by Ford. While the findings of the investigation could be revealing, regulators, automakers and consumers may take time to judge the suitability of the safety and functionality of BlueCruise and other hands-free driving systems once it’s approved to be used by the public in production vehicles.