The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released documents on March 11, 2026, detailing two fatal crashes in 2024 involving Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles using the BlueCruise hands-free driving system. In the first incident, on February 2024 in San Antonio, Texas, a driver traveling at 74 mph on Interstate 10 struck a stationary 1999 Honda CR-V, killing its driver. Ford's driver monitoring system showed the Mach-E driver looking at the infotainment screen in the five seconds before impact, with only brief glances at the road. He received alerts to refocus but did not brake. The driver reported using navigation to a charging station. A photo captured two seconds prior showed him upright but facing slightly right. In the second crash, March 2024 on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, a 23-year-old driver, Dimple Patel, hit a stopped 2012 Hyundai Elantra at 72 mph in a 45 mph construction zone, also striking a 2006 Toyota Prius. Both stopped drivers died; Patel, who was intoxicated and charged with DUI homicide, had minor injuries. Monitoring indicated her eyes were 'on-road,' but a photo showed her holding a phone above the wheel, possibly evading detection. Neither crash activated automatic emergency braking (AEB), as Ford notes limitations in detecting stationary targets under those conditions. The NTSB will hold a public hearing on March 31 in Washington, D.C., to discuss findings and issue recommendations to Ford. Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continues its probe, upgraded in early 2025, citing BlueCruise's issues detecting stationary vehicles. Ford emphasizes BlueCruise as a convenience feature requiring constant driver attention, not a crash avoidance system, available for a one-time $2,495 fee or $495 annually. These cases echo concerns in prior NTSB probes of Tesla's Autopilot, highlighting driver over-reliance and distraction risks.

"An investigation into why car touchscreens became dominant, the data on increased driver distraction, and how regulatory pressure may bring buttons back."

Seeing Machines Ltd's (AIM:SEE, OTC:SEEMF) driver safety technology observed and intervened in over 11 million ‘risk’ events in the past year. The...

County leaders propose larger signs and rumble strips to reduce traffic accidents.