Preliminary findings show that Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driver assistance feature fails to detect stopped objects at night at freeway speeds.

The NHTSA investigation into Ford BlueCruise fatal crashes revealed that the system is programmed to ignore stationary objects when traveling at over 62 mph

At the center of the inquiry are two crashes that resulted in fatalities, both occurring at night and involving Mach-Es traveling at freeway speeds with BlueCruise engaged. In these cases, the system failed to detect stationary vehicles, leading to deadly collisions.

The government analysis will determine if a safety recall is necessary and could influence driver assistance features across the auto industry.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has intensified its investigation into Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driving technology by upgrading the inquiry to an engineering analysis. This decision follows two fatal crashes involving Ford Mustang Mach E vehicles equipped with BlueCruise,