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Ford's BlueCruise gains hands-free lane changes and more in update

Ford is sending out an update to BlueCruise that will enhance its functionality with some nice features we tend to enjoy on other advanced driver assistance systems. Plus, in addition to BlueCruise getting the update, the Lincoln version named ActiveGlide will get the same update. For starters, both BlueCruise and ActiveGlide will gain hands-free lane changing. Similar to other lane-change assist systems, you’ll prompt the lane change by activating the turn signal. ItÂ’ll scan for traffic, and if all is clear, the vehicle will move into the requested lane. Ford says that itÂ’ll even suggest lane changes to the driver in the cluster as you approach slower-moving traffic. What this new feature doesnÂ’t do, though, are automatic lane changes. Systems like Super Cruise and TeslaÂ’s Autopilot will recognize slower traffic, then make a pass all on their own to move around said traffic — theyÂ’ll even move back over into your previous lane after making the pass. We wouldnÂ’t be surprised if Ford adds this functionality to the system in a future update. Another update in this release is new “In-Lane Repositioning” programming. ItÂ’s designed to recognize when there are vehicles in adjacent lanes and will then shift you further away from them within your lane of travel. Ford says itÂ’s especially helpful when passing semi-trucks, and will give you the usual and more comfortable buffer that a human driver might give a truck. The final update is a Predictive Speed Assist feature that will adjust your speed as you approach a curve. It will signal to the driver in the cluster that the car will slow for a curve, then do so gradually as you approach it. This is the sort of feature we typically like to turn off as soon as possible, since weÂ’d rather just remain at the same speed for curves on the highway. But, if youÂ’re one of those folks who like to slow down for curves on the highway, this will provide a more natural driving feel. Ford says that customers have cumulatively put over 16 million hands-free miles on cars with BlueCruise at this point. This update, simply named 1.2, for BlueCruise and ActiveGlide will see its initial rollout this fall. It will hit the Mustang Mach-E first, and Ford says other vehicles will follow. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. POV drive of the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E

Here's why automakers roll out those Texas-themed pickup trucks

Every year, automakers with a full-size truck link make a big show of the Texas State Fair, usually involving a reveal of a new model. Sometimes they show a whole new truck, and other times a special edition centered on the Lone Star state. While some people might write this off as a quirk of the industry, others might be wondering, "What's the big deal with Texas?" As it turns out, part of the big deal with Texas is big truck sales. According to Dave Sullivan, product analysis manager at AutoPacific, Texas buys more trucks than any other state in the country. It's not a small margin either. Edmunds.com, one in five trucks sold in the US are sold in Texas. The state also accounts for 15 percent of the country's large truck sales, which is more than twice that of California, the second largest truck market in America. Even when you break down sales only in Texas, trucks are a huge piece of the pie - Sullivan says that a quarter of new vehicle sales in Texas are trucks. One in five trucks sold in the US are sold in Texas. But it's not just sales that make truck builders give attention to Texas. As Sullivan explained, "Pickups are life in Texas." Both he and Hugh Milne, marketing and advertising manager for the Chevy Silverado line, said that trucks are key fixtures in Texas society, as both work trucks and luxury vehicles (or Texas Cadillacs as Milne called them). Milne said Texas is so important in the truck market that if you want to be successful in the rest of the country, "you've got to be successful in Texas." As for the State Fair, it has become a prime location for reveals in part because of the importance of the Texas market and because of how big the fair is. Milne also revealed that the State Fair also hosts its own auto show, so it's an ideal venue for a vehicle introduction. So there you have it. Why do truck builders obsess over Texas? It's because Texas obsesses over trucks. When you have one market that loves your product that much, you give it the attention it deserves. Related Video: Image Credit: Donovan Reese via Getty Images Auto News Marketing/Advertising Chevrolet Ford RAM Truck f-150 texas state fair

Autoblog's guilty pleasure cars

Guilty pleasures are part of life – don't even try to pretend like you don't have one (or two, or six). In the non-automotive space, this could come down to that secret playlist in your iPhone of songs you'll only listen to when you're alone; or think of that one TV show you really do love, but won't admit to your friends. I've got plenty, and so do you. Going back to cars, here's a particularly juicy one for me: several years ago, I had a mad crush on the very last iteration of the Cadillac DTS. Oh yes, the front-wheel-drive, Northstar V8-powered sofa-on-wheels that was the last remaining shred of the elderly-swooning days of Cadillac's past. Every time I had the chance to drive one, I was secretly giddy. Don't hate me, okay? These days, the DTS is gone, but I've still got a mess of other cars that hold a special place in my heart. And in the spirit of camaraderie, I've asked my other Autoblog editors to tell me some of their guilty pleasure cars, as well – Seyth Miersma, as you can see above, has a few choice emotions to share about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Read on to find out what cars make us secretly happy. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG This decadent convertible is the epitome of the guilty pleasure. It's big, powerful, fairly heavy and it's richly appointed inside and out. It's a chocolate eclair with the three-pointed star on the hood. Given my druthers, I'd take the SL65 AMG, which delivers 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. That output is borderline absurd for this laid-back convertible. I don't care. You don't need dessert. Sometimes you just crave it. The SL line is about the feel you get on the road. The roof is open. The air, sun and engine sounds all embrace you. It's the same dynamic you could have experienced in a Mercedes a century ago, yet the SL gives you the most modern of luxuries. An Airscarf feature that warms my neck and shoulders through a vent embedded in the seat? Yes, please. Sure, it's an old-guy car. Mr. Burns and Lord Grantham are probably too young and hip for an SL65. I don't care. This is my guilty pleasure. Release the hounds. – Greg Migliore Senior Editor Ford Flex I drove my first Flex in 2009 when my mother let me borrow hers for the summer while I was away at college. The incredibly spacious interior made moving twice that summer a breeze, and the 200-mile trips up north were quite comfortable.