Regulator Investigates Ford's Hands-Free Driving System After Fatal Crashes

[Zorro]

Source: Wall Street Journal

U.S. auto-safety regulators have launched an investigation into the safety of Ford Motor’s hands-free driving system, following a pair of recent crashes that left three people dead.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the auto industry’s top regulator, said in a filing made public Monday that it had received notice of two recent incidents involving BlueCruise, Ford’s driver-assistance system.

In both cases, Ford Mustang Mach-E SUVs collided with stationary vehicles on highways during nighttime lighting conditions, each resulting in a fatality, NHTSA said.

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation confirmed that BlueCruise was engaged in each of the vehicles in question immediately before the collisions, according to an initial review by the agency.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/nhtsa-receives-notice-of-two-incidents-involving-fords-driver-assistance-system-510fc6e9?st=rfb1l10vzwi8uyq&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

[elleng]

1. GOOD!

[Arne]

2. Cars don't drive them selves.

[orleans]

3. so bizarre -- how many people get to die in these weird -ass crashes

because people didn't want to "drive" while driving their fucking cars??

[Aussie105]

4. What is more stressful?

Driving a dumb car knowing you need to concentrate, turn the steering wheel and work the pedals?

Or driving some smart car, expecting it to do things for you, but needing to be super alert just in case it gets it wrong?

Don't want to drive? Get a Taxi, an Uber, public transport for crying out loud! Sit back, chill out, read a book or something.
Or tell Jeeves to tell the driver to bring the Rolls around the front, so you can sit in the back and raid the cocktail bar.

I like cars. I like computers.

Mating them together in a thing on wheels, not so much.

[Aussie105]

5. How many have to die?

I remember a few decades ago a certain make and model of small car (*) was known to catch fire in a rear end crash.
Something about the fuel tank rupturing in a crash.

That car was taken off the market, never to return.

How many people need to die before the self-drive aspect of some modern cars is legislated out of existence?
Or manufacturers stop offering the feature?

(*) "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated rear-end collisions involving 1970-’76 Ford Pintos and Mercury Bobcats resulting in fuel spillage and fire. NHTSA concluded that 27 Pinto occupants had died in these crashes and a further 24 Pinto occupants sustained non-fatal burn injuries."

[radicalleft]

6. I have and use this feature...ask me anything

I like it personally