Micron Shares Rise 4% Despite Taiwan Strike Risk 
San Francisco Halts New Data Center Construction With 45-Day Moratorium 
UK Finance Minister Healey Calls for Fiscal Discipline Amid Global Risks 
Oracle Uses Trucked Natural Gas to Power AI Data Centers Amid Pipeline Delays 
XRP Ledger Activates New Security Feature for Banks and Stablecoins 
Stellar Overtakes Ethereum in RWA Fund Inflows as XRP Leads Commodities 
US-Led Coalition Targets Global Factory Overcapacity 
Deere, CNH and AGCO Stocks Fall as FTC Launches Farm Equipment Probe 
Ripple Chairman Chris Larsen Donates $22.5 Million Ahead of US Midterms 
Yandex Data Center Hit by Drone Strike as Russia-Ukraine Cyber Infrastructure Attacks Escalate 
FAA Warns US Airlines Over Saudi Arabia Flight Risks 
Wall Street Falls as Oil Prices Rise and Tech Stocks Slide 
Anthropic Launches Claude Dashboards and Motion AI Tools 
MSTR Stock Rises as Barclays Raises Price Target to $175 
US, EU Push for Action Against Asia’s Excess Factory Capacity 
Jameson Lopp Downplays AI Threat to Bitcoin Cryptography 
Add as a preferred source on Google
Ford revolutionizes BlueCruise sales, offering the hands-free driving tech as standard in many vehicles. Instead of a one-time purchase, opt for a monthly or yearly subscription.
Previously, customers had to decide at the dealership to purchase a new Ford vehicle with BlueCruise hardware installed. Once the decision was made, they couldn't change their minds.
Now, the hardware will come standard on many new vehicles, and customers can activate it anytime. The notable change is that they can pay for it as a monthly or annual subscription.
This move by Ford aligns with the industry-wide shift towards subscription-based products as a major revenue source. The automotive market offers subscription options for everything from driver-assistance features to seat heating.
Customer concerns drive this shift over paying for previously purchased services as one-time expenses.
BlueCruise is a Level 2 system providing major functions such as acceleration, braking, lane centering, and automatic lane changing. However, it only operates on divided highways in the US and Canada.
Although drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel and feet off the pedals, they must keep their eyes on the road and be prepared to take control if needed. Ford reports that BlueCruise-equipped vehicles have already covered over 100 million miles.
Currently, around 225,000 vehicles are equipped with BlueCruise, and Ford anticipates an additional 500,000 vehicles will have this feature by the end of 2024. The company also claims that BlueCruise works on 97% of controlled access highways in the US and Canada, which accounts for approximately 130,000 miles of road.
Ford is introducing new ways for customers to access the BlueCruise feature. They can pay for it when ordering a vehicle online or from a dealership, with a three-year commitment costing $2,100. Alternatively, customers can opt for a subscription of $75 per month or $800 per year. Ford also offers a 90-day complimentary bonus to encourage adoption for those who activate the feature.
This new payment structure will first apply to all trims of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and will soon be available for all 2024 model-year vehicles where BlueCruise is an option, such as the F-150 Lightning, Ford F-150, and Ford Expedition.
Photo: Hans Isaacson/Unsplash
