Feds question Ford in hands-free driving investigation

Top Federal Vehicles Service Sends Ford to Regulatory Ford Full list of questions Its hands-free driver-helping system is known as blukerice. This is the latest development of the investigation that started More than a year ago Following the two deadly crashes involved in the software.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has sent a letter to Ford on June 7, which has 20 questions. Many of them are basic, such as Ford to ask for a detailed list of vehicles equipped with blueprises. However, NHTSA also wants internal Ford documents related to the investigation, the development of blukerization, the details of any change in the software and the more related crashes.

This is the first “information request” to which NHTSA sent it to Ford The investigation in January has upgraded At a level known as an “engineering analysis”. NHTSA is a necessary step in progress before asking Ford to issue a recovery.

A Ford spokesman told TechCrunch that the company is working with the NHTSA to support the investigation.

ODI started investigating April 2024 After two deadly crashesThe In each of these events, the drivers were using blukerice while crashed on vehicles that were fixed. They were the first known casualties as a result of the crashes involved in the use of bluker.

Ford simply allows drivers to use blukerice on pre-mapped highways. The hands-free system uses cameras, radar sensors and software to handle steering, speed and braking on certain highways. The software is associated with an in-cabin camera with an i-tracking system that the drivers are paying attention to the front street. The system, Whose price is $ 495 a year Or a one-time purchase is available as $ 2,495, Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, Ford F-150 truck and All-Bedutin Ford Mustang Mach-on.

In early 2021, crashes were able to question how much Ford’s system was able to recognize stationery objects-a problem that Tesla’s own driver’s own driver-help software over the years.

The NHTSA said in January that when it further developed the investigation, it invented “the restrictions of fixed vehicles in certain circumstances” and the performance of the blukerize “inadequate illumination may be limited when there is very little visibility.” (Both deadly crashes occurred on the night.)

In the new letter, the NHTSA Ford has told Ford the “logic and/or algorithms” of the Blucraise software for more information about identifying the danger in front of the vehicle and the classification.

Ford is up to August 6 for submission of 25 questions or to face a citizen penalty.