After the ok of the European Commission arrived from 2024, the European countries were climbed to 15 in which it is possible to use the guide without hands, including Italy. But how do cars travel without the driver having his hands on the steering wheel or feet on the pedals? Thanks to the assisted guide, which allows cars to remain alone inside the lane, keeping the safety distance from the other cars. We have the opportunity to try Bluecruise, the Ford’s free -hand driving system, to see what are the technologies on board that allow this.
How Ford’s BlueCruise technology works to drive without hands
The car we traveled on, which is the Ford Mustang Mach-E, is equipped with radar sensors, positioned along the entire perimeter of the car. These sensors send, in every direction, of the radio waves with short impulses: when a radio wave meets an obstacle on its way – as can be another car – “bounces” and go back. Based on the time that takes the radio wave to return the system is able to calculate, in real time, the distance between our car and the others. For example, if the car in front of us slow down, the system understands that the distance is decreasing and sends the engine to the control to slow down in turn. This system, called Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC), is also able to completely stop the car in case of intense traffic, and to start it again when the road frees itself again. The maximum speed that BlueCruise can reach is 130 km/h, as long as the traffic conditions allow it.
How assisted driving cars recognize curves and limits
A latest generation car is also able to recognize curves and speed limits. Here 2 other systems come into play: the first is a pre-match of the road, with much more detailed information than those of the classic navigators. This pre-makeup is made through a combination of multiple databases, satellite images and real environmental scans, previously carried out through Lidar technology. This allows the car to know in advance the characteristics of the road, such as the dimensions, the lanes, the curves and the tunnels. The second, on the other hand, is a system of cameras capable of recognizing the lanes of the roadway and keep the car in trajectory, but also to “read” road signs. A camera placed behind the windshield, captures the image of the road sign, decoding it and recognizes it instantly after comparing it with a database. It is a so -called “neural” system, which works a bit like our memory. When the camera identifies a sign, even temporary, with a speed limit indicated, the car adapts automatically slowing down or accelerating.
Where you can use the driving with your hands free
At the moment in Europe there are more than 133,000 kilometers of highways where this technology can be used. In fact, other European countries have added to Great Britain, Germany and Spain, for a total of 15, including Italy. The roads where it is possible to use the BlueCruise technology are called Bluezone: when we enter a bluezone, the system warns us that we can move on to the driving without hands with a message on the instrument panel. Before activating it, however, the system checks that the lane signs are visible and that the driver has fixed eyes on the road. In fact, you must know that in level 2 of driving assistance, which we have tested, the driver must always be alert and ready to intervene in case of need. An infrared camera, positioned right under the instrument panel, has the task of tracing the movement of our heads and our eyes: if we distract ourselves, a sequence of notices starts, which if ignored can also lead the car to gradually curb until they stop, in total safety. Do you think this infrared camera is able to track your gaze also through most sunglasses!
What are the autonomous driving levels
The level 2 of autonomous driving, which we have tested, is to date the most advanced available in Italy: in the future, however, it is possible that we will have cars that will allow us to divert the gaze from the road for some time – as in the case of level 3 – or to manage some unexpected events such as road construction sites – level 4 – up to getting it off again in a city context as in the case of level 5. Rest, but also to improve road safety thanks to the progress made by technology.
