Drivers in fatal Ford BlueCruise crashes were likely distracted before impact | TechCrunch

Last day to exhibit your breakthrough to 10,000+ tech leaders at Disrupt is on Oct 2. Book Exhibit Table Now. Disrupt doors open Oct. 13. Get your pass and bring someone with you at 50% off. REGISTER NOW. Two drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2024 while using Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driving system were likely distracted in the moments before impact, according to new information released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The safety board released documents for each crash and announced it will hold a public hearing on March 31 in Washington, D.C., where it will discuss the findings and likely issue recommendations to Ford. The NTSB is an independent federal agency that investigates transportation accidents but doesn’t regulate the industry. The agency is expected to release a final report in the weeks following the March 31 hearing. The crashes triggered an investigation not only by the NTSB, but also by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA, which is a safety regulator, said in early 2025 it had determined BlueCruise has limitations in the “detection of stationary vehicles in certain conditions” and upgraded the pro