zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
GM And Cruise Want Ford To Stop Calling Its Hands-Free Driving Technology "BlueCruise"
GM And Cruise Want Ford To Stop Calling Its Hands-Free Driving Technology "BlueCruise"-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:16

Image for article titled GM And Cruise Want Ford To Stop Calling Its Hands-Free Driving Technology "BlueCruise"

General Motors is not happy with Ford’s driver-assistance technology name, Reuters . Why? Because BlueCruise, Ford’s tech, sounds too much like GM’s Super Cruise and Hyper Cruise, its own driver-assistance technologies, and Cruise, its robo-taxi service subsidiary.

Both Ford’s BlueCruise and GM’s Super and Hyper Cruise systems are base-level autonomous driving technologies that would allow drivers to lift their hands from the steering wheel while still being alert. These technologies aren’t fully self-driving, but they’re what the SAE would term a level-2 tech, which allows the car to do a little bit of heavy lifting while the driver can relax — while still being alert, of course.

“While GM had hoped to resolve the trademark infringement matter with Ford amicably, we were left with no choice but to vigorously defend our brands and protect the equity our products and technology have earned over several years in the market,” GM said in its statement.

Ford has argued that GM and Cruise’s claim is “meritless and frivolous” because “drivers for decades have understood what cruise control is, every automaker offers it, and ‘cruise’ is common shorthand for the capability.”

Basically, Ford is calling BlueCruise a kind of advanced cruise control, which isn’t totally accurate but also not totally wrong.

GM, on the other hand, has argued that automated driving is definitely not cruise control, so Ford can’t use the word “cruise” to describe it. Because GM got there first. GM is arguing that Ford intentionally named its technology BlueCruise to create a sense of confusion between the brands and to capitalize on all the hard marketing work GM has done.

Ford is still arguing that other automakers have used the word “cruise” for decades to refer to a variety of other technologies and simple acts people engage in behind the wheel.

Ford announced BlueCruise in April of 2021, which will be available in the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 later this year through over-the-air updates at a cost of $600 for three years of service.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Jul 26, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Jul 26, 2025
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Jul 26, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Jul 26, 2025
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Jul 26, 2025
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Jul 26, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved