Ford is slashing both the monthly and annual cost of its hands-free driver-assistance feature, BlueCruise, for new and existing owners in response to “customer and dealer” feedback, the company tells TechCrunch.
The automaker announced Tuesday that it will now charge $49.99 per month or $495 annually for BlueCruise, which allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel on pre-mapped highways across the United States. That’s down from the previous pricing of $75 per month or $800 per year.
Ford is also now offering what it’s calling a “one-time purchase” option for BlueCruise. Buyers can purchase BlueCruise for $2,495 when ordering a new vehicle and Ford promises to keep it active for at least seven years. The company says that owners won’t have to pay another cent after the seven years “if the service is available.” Owners cannot transfer their BlueCruise subscription to another vehicle.
The price drop comes as BlueCruise is currently the subject of a federal investigation after two fatal crashes happened earlier this year where the feature was active. A driver in one of those crashes was recently charged with DUI homicide.
Announced in 2021, BlueCruise uses a camera-based driver-monitoring system to check if drivers are watching the road while the system is active. The company declined to share what percentage of owners have activated the feature. Ford’s change to BlueCruise pricing also comes one day after the company announced it is offering a complimentary home charger and covering installation in a bid to boost adoption of its electric vehicles.