But with nuances. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), has approved the Ford BlueCruise system that allows hands-free driving on Spanish highways with your eyes on the road.

"We are the second country in the Union to accept this technology; it is a pioneering technology, and it will offer Spanish drivers an assisted driving service on an enormous number of kilometers of the road network", said Francisco Blanco, Secretary General of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises.

It is the third European market to have Ford's BlueCruise system available, which allows the American company's customers to drive hands-free on roads and highways, after Spain, Great Britain and Germany, where it was introduced earlier this year.

After adopting BlueCruise, owners of a Ford Mustang Mach-E purchased in our country after October 12, 2023 can use and activate this advanced technology through subscription. Customers can try this system for 90 days. At the end of this period, or at any other point in the life of Mach-E, customers have the option to activate this system at a price of 24.99 euros per month, with no sustainability commitment.

Ford BlueCruise users can use this advanced driving assistance technology to safely take their hands off the wheel and foot off the accelerator when in a Blue Zone. The Blue Zones are the parts of the Spanish highway and motorway network where BlueCruise is available.

The Ford BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system has been tested on more than 1.1 million kilometers worldwide and has been fine-tuned to provide an intuitive and safe experience. More than 225,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles are equipped with this innovative system and their drivers have already driven more than 160 million miles hands-free in the United States and Canada, the manufacturer says.

This is how Ford BlueCruise works

Using sensors, Ford BlueCruise detects changing lane markings and traffic conditions. Based on this information, the advanced assistance system controls the vehicle's steering, acceleration, braking and position in its lane. Depending on the speed, it maintains the right distance from the traffic in front, even stopping and restarting in slow traffic situations.

At the same time, a camera located on the dashboard monitors the driver's gaze and head position to try to keep his eyes fixed on the road.

Hands-free driving is available when activated via the driver assistance settings menu; therefore, ACC will be activated when it detects that the vehicle has entered an authorized Blue Zone on public roads. For Ford BlueCruise to work, the driver must keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. When the instrument panel display indicates it is safe, the driver can take their hands off the steering wheel without taking their eyes off the road.

Functions that the vehicle performs on its own when Ford BlueCruise is activated:

1. Adjust your pace to that of other vehicles until you reach the selected maximum speed, then slow down to a complete stop.
2. Position yourself following the road markings, using the center lane system, moving away from the vehicles in the adjacent lanes.
3. It offers the driver the opportunity to participate in steering control, if desired. When you take your hands off the wheel again, Ford BlueCruise automatically reasserts steering control as long as the vehicle is in a Blue Zone.

The roadside assistance you need

The journey into the future accelerates thanks to Ford BlueCruise1, Ford's latest innovation in advanced driving assistance technology and the first in Spain in this field. Starting October 12th, owners of the new Mustang Mach-E model will be able to enter a new era of mobility and be the first to drive with Level 2 hands-free driving assistance on road sections designated as "Blue Zones".

Ford is proud of its BlueCruise technology, and it's a good thing it is, because it works so well. This word may not be familiar to many, but you will have to get used to it, because this semi-autonomous driving assistant is here to stay, after being tested for more than a million kilometers and proven in territories such as the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom, it is a very safe solution, because it is not yet register any incident. Now, this assisted driving innovation is coming to our country and it is already possible to test it.

A look at the future of mobility

Manufacturer state The Uva can pride itself on being the only one with an unlimited freeway speed, hands-free L2 legal driving system. This means that the driver will be able to release his hands from the steering wheel and his feet from the pedals for a much more pleasant and relaxed driving experience, knowing that the BlueCruise technology is responsible for the operations, as long as the so-called "Blue Zones" are crossed. In total, there are 28,500 kilometers of motorway network in Spain, which is added to the 32,800 kilometers in Great Britain and Germany.