As part of a mission to introduce minor updates more frequently, Ford will release BlueCruise 1.3 this summer. Rather than adding new features, the update to the Level 2 advanced driver assistance seeks to reduce the number of times that drivers must take over while using it.
Ford CEO Jim Farley announced today that the latest iteration of the technology will be released this summer on new Mustang Mach-E models. Older vehicles that are already on the road will get BlueCruise 1.3 as part of an over-the-air software update later this summer.
The new version will allow BlueCruise to stay engaged while vehicles round tighter bends than before, and will also position a vehicle more precisely in narrower lanes, reports TechCrunch. Although these aren’t radical changes, that’s part of Ford’s strategy.
Read: Ford’s BlueCruise Beats Tesla’s Autopilot In Advanced Driver Assistance System War
According to Sammy Omari, the CEO of Latitude AI, Ford’s new automation subsidiary, the team behind BlueCruise is dramatically increasing the speed at which it introduces updates. That means small, iterative changes, and a focus on improving the user experience.
The team started by looking at data from vehicles in the field, and Ford’s software engineers tried to tackle moments when BlueCruise asks the driver to take over driving duties. By focusing on those moments, Ford can allow drivers to spend more times with their hands off the wheel. Omari said that BlueCruise 1.3 is three times better than 1.2, and five times better than 1.0 in terms of driver interventions.
Omari noted that Ford is taking inspiration from tech companies like Netflix and Apple by implementing this approach. Like the former, it wants to constantly be pushing new content, and like the latter, it wants updates to work regardless of when you bought your vehicle.
The one exception to the model year ADAS agnosticism is Level 3 autonomous technology. Omari admitted that Ford vehicles on the road today do not have the hardware required to enable hands-free and eyes-closed driving, meaning that when it wants to push that technology, a new generation of vehicles will be required.
However, for now, Ford customers who subscribe to BlueCruise can expect plenty of small updates like these that lead to minor but consistent improvements.