The Nationwide Transportation Security Board is investigating two deadly crashes involving two separate Ford Mustang Mach-Es crashing into stationary automobiles, the place three individuals have died. In at the very least one of many crashes, Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driver-assist system was activated on the time of the crash, whereas the second is underneath preliminary investigation. Right here’s what occurred.
The primary fatality occurred in San Antonio, Texas, after a 44-year-old Mustang Mach-E driver utilizing the driving force help system crashed right into a stationary Honda, killing the 56-year-old driver. One other Mach-E driver was concerned in a deadly crash in Philadelphia on March 3, though it’s not recognized but if the BlueCruise performed a task.
The incident in Texas concerned a driver of a 2022 Mach E putting a 1999 Honda CR-V that was stopped within the center lane of I-10 with no lights at round 9:50 p.m. – a difficult situation for any oncoming automobile. The second accident close to Philadelphia, which killed two individuals, concerned a Mach-E that hit two stationary automobiles on Interstate 95 at 3:13 a.m. on March 3. Each drivers of the stationary vehicles have been killed, and one of many victims could have been standing outdoors of their automobile, the Related Press stories.
Regarding the February crash, the NTSB states that “based mostly on the information obtained from the automobile, the driving force had been working the automobile in BlueCruise mode earlier than the crash.”
Whereas the Honda driver died, the Mustang driver sustained minor accidents, and police discovered no indicators of intoxication. In accordance with the NTSB report, a witness who had been touring within the heart lane in entrance of the Mach-E reported that she noticed the Honda within the heart lane and that the automobile had no tail or hazard lights illuminated. After altering lanes to keep away from hitting the automobile, she then noticed one other automobile crash into the Honda.
The NTSB launched a preliminary report on its investigation, with the ultimate report prone to be revealed in a yr or two.
BlueCruise is Ford’s marquee driver help system, which permits hands-free driving on some highways. Ford doesn’t promote the system as autonomous driving, and drivers, whereas allowed to take their fingers off the wheel and ft off the pedals, are required to maintain their eyes peeled always and be able to take management of the automobile. That is enforced with a driver monitoring system that deactivates BlueCruise if the driving force appears to be distracted or sleepy.
Surveys have proven that individuals usually over-rely on ADAS, treating them as totally automated driving techniques, with their response instances slower than what is taken into account secure when it’s time to take again management.
The NHTSA has spent practically three years investigating greater than a dozen accidents involving Tesla drivers utilizing Autopilot. That is the primary investigation into Ford’s ADAS, however as with Tesla, as extra of those are on the highway, extra crashes and investigations will certainly happen. Tesla, for its half, lately settled a lawsuit purchased on by the household of Apple engineer Walter Huang, who died when his Mannequin X crashed utilizing Autopilot in 2018.
Whereas GM’s Tremendous Cruise is usable in additional locations, the BlueCruise is taken into account probably the greatest accessible, and the crash is notable as a result of it’s the first to contain a hands-free driving help accessible to the general public. Additionally, Ford presents different passive security options, resembling Co-Pilot360 with ahead collision warning and emergency brake and steering help to keep away from obstacles, so this information doubtlessly factors to failures in these techniques as effectively.