Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving technology has become more and more popular among car shoppers who have fallen in love with the Ford brand and is the top-rated active driving assistance system by Consumer Reports. Hands-free driving technology has become a must-have for many drivers with an estimated 43% indicating that it is the feature they want the most, and Ford BlueCruise saw an 88% increase in hands-free miles driving in 2025 — a total expected to increase in the future. With the increased emphasis on Ford BlueCruise technology for car buyers, many want to learn how to use Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving before they pull the trigger and Brandon Ford can help.
Step-By-Step Guide to Ford BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving
Are you ready to get behind the wheel of a brand-new 2026 Ford F-150 and let next-generation BlueCruise technology drive you home? A more advanced iteration of Adaptive Cruise Control, Ford BlueCruise will handle steering and speed control on miles of prequalified highways in Hands-Free Blue Zones across the United States. With more than 130,000 miles prequalified, divided highways across the United States and Canada, most drivers in the United States can take advantage of this safe, innovative driving solution.
Here is a better look at how to use Ford BlueCruise technology in your brand-new Ford vehicle:
1. Register Your BlueCruise Subscription
When you have purchased a Ford car, truck, or SUV that is equipped with BlueCruise, you will have to register an account and create a BlueCruise subscription. New vehicle BlueCruise subscriptions are priced at $495 per year with a FREE 90-day trial — or owners can pay $2,495 for a seven-year subscription. In addition to a Ford BlueCruise subscription, drivers will need to have the FordPass App connected.
2. Activate Ford BlueCruise in Blue Zones
When you are driving in a Hands-Free Blue Zone, the Ford BlueCruise system will provide a notification on the digital instrument cluster of your vehicle. When you have been notified that you are in a Blue Zone, you can activate the Adaptive Cruise Control on your steering wheel and ensure that the Lane-Keeping System is activated. When the hands-free icon turns blue on the digital instrument cluster, you will be able to safely take your hands off the steering wheel. The Ford BlueCruise In-Lane Repositioning feature will actively monitor the traffic around you and ensure that you remain centered in your lane.
3. Stay Engaged and Monitor the Road
When you have activated Ford BlueCruise, it is important that you remain engaged and monitor the road in front of you in case of emergency. Ford BlueCruise implements a driver-facing camera to monitor how attentive you are as a driver and ensure you remain alert behind the wheel.
How Do Ford BlueCruise Features Work?
Ford BlueCruise employs an arsenal of innovative features that go far beyond standard Adaptive Cruise Control to help keep you safe on the road when using hands-free driving. Here is a better look at how some of those features work with Ford BlueCruise:
Lane Change Assist
The Ford BlueCruise Lane Change Assist feature is an innovative solution that allows you to quickly and easily change lanes. Tap the turn signal to change lanes when it is safe without ever having to put your hands on the wheel.
In-Lane Repositioning
Ford BlueCruise continuously employs minor shifts in steering to keep you in your lane when using hands-free driving technology. In-Lane Repositioning uses this feature to shift you away from other vehicles in traffic.
Speed and Follow Distance Settings
Like Ford Adaptive Cruise Control, the Ford BlueCruise platform allows you to set speed and follow distance via steering wheel-mounted controls. With these controls, you can set your speed and how far you want to stay from other vehicles.
System Disengagement and Disengagement Zones
Do you want to disengage Ford BlueCruise? You can just apply the brakes and grab the steering wheel to regain manual control when Ford BlueCruise is activated. In addition to the ability to easily regain manual control, Ford BlueCruise has disengagement alerts when you exit a Blue Zone to remind you to put your hands back on the steering wheel.
READ MORE: What Is the Ford AI Assistant?
Do you want to learn how to use Ford BlueCruise hands-free driving? This quick step-by-step guide created by Brandon Ford will help you feel more comfortable behind the wheel when you use Ford BlueCruise. Apply for credit approval today to get behind a brand-new 2026 Ford Expedition with Ford BlueCruise capabilities!