The arrival of Ford’s new BlueCruise – the first legal hands-free driving product available on UK roads – raises a whole series of issues that fleets need to be ready to deal with, warns FleetCheck.

The technology operates on approved Blue Zone sections of motorway at speeds up to 80mph

The “hands-off, eyes-on” self-driving technology was greenlit for use in Britain earlier this month and allows drivers on approved Blue Zone sections of motorway to drive with their hands off the steering wheel if they continue to pay attention to the road ahead, operating at up to 80mph (130km/h).

Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet software specialist, said that while the fleet industry has been discussing the subject of hands-free driving for some time, the real-world availability of BlueCruise brings everything into immediate and sharp relief.

“Probably the first question it raises is a really fundamental one – do fleets feel that it is safe for their drivers to be using the technology? Obviously, it has been officially signed off and Ford say that millions of miles have been safely covered, but do employers feel those assurances are sufficient for what remains quite a fundamental shift in driving practice?

“Certainly, allowing its use on your fleet would mean that it needed to be incorporated into your risk management policy and that drivers understand how and when it can be used. This is a legitimate criticism that is sometimes levelled at less sophisticated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, that drivers are not given sufficient information about how to integrate devices into their day-to-day driving while also recognising their limitations.

“With BlueCruise, there appears to be a high level of safeguarding built in, with the driver being monitored to ensure they are paying attention to the road, but fleets providing vehicles still need to ensure they have a high degree of understanding when using the technology.”

Golding also raised the issue of who pays for the technology, which is being sold on a subscription basis on £17.99 per month to drivers of the Mustang Mach E electric car.

“Does the company feel that £17.99 per month is worth spending to reduce stress on motorway driving and even potentially improve safety? If the driver wants to pay, do you as an employer feel that this is appropriate? These all need consideration.”

Golding added that other hands-free subscription devices are likely to follow, putting greater pressure on fleets to answer all of these questions.

“There is potentially even an argument for fleets to write a short policy document covering this area. It is something that will only see further increases in sophistication in the future.”