US opens investigation into Ford crashes involving Blue Cruise partially automated driving system
Two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise partially automated driving system have drawn the attention of U.S. auto safety regulators
DETROIT — Two fatal crashes involving Ford's Blue Cruise partially automated driving system have drawn the attention of U.S. auto safety regulators.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation of the crashes, both involving Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles on freeways in nighttime lighting conditions, the agency said in documents Monday.
The agency's initial investigation of the crashes, which killed three people, determined that Blue Cruise was in use just before the collisions.
One of the crashes occurred in February in San Antonio, Texas, killing one person, while the other happened in Philadelphia in March in which two people died.
The agency says the investigation will evaluate how Blue Cruise performs driving tasks as well as its camera based driver monitoring system.
Ford said Monday it is working with NHTSA to support the investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which already is investigating the Feb. 24 San Antonio crash, determined in a preliminary report that it was operating on Blue Cruise.
The NTSB can only make recommendations, but NHTSA has the authority to take action including seeking recalls for safety issues.
Ford says on its website that its driving systems do not replace human drivers, who have to be ready to take control at any time.
The Texas crash occurred on Interstate 10 in San Antonio. The NTSB report says the Mach E struck the rear of a 1999 Honda CR-V that was stopped in the middle of three lanes around 9:50 p.m. The 56-year-old driver of the CR-V was killed.
Another driver who was able to avoid the CR-V
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