Ford to Offer Mustang Mach-E, F-150 With Hands-Free Active Drive Assist

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

General Motors' Super Cruise is the only semi-autonomous system on the market to boast hands-free driving. The system also beat Tesla's Autopilot feature in recent testing conducted by Consumer Reports. At the moment, no one has a response to Super Cruise, especially GM's arch-rival, Ford. That's going to change shortly as Ford is planning to bring its new Active Drive Assist feature to a few vehicles next year.


Popular Models First


According to Ford, the automaker will be offering the new driver-assist feature on the 2021 F-150 and 2021 Mustang Mach-E. If there's a question on why Ford chose these two vehicles as the first ones to come with the tech, it's simple – the Mustang Mach-E is the latest and greatest, while the F-150 is the brand's best-selling model. In the first year of availability, Ford expects to sell more than 100,000 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E models with Active Drive Assist.


In addition to confirming the two vehicles that will come with the system, Ford also provided some information on how much it will cost. For the F-150, Active Drive Assist will be offered as part of the Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 package for an additional $1,595. That package is standard on the F-150 Limited and is offered on the Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum trims. 


Things are slightly more expensive for the Mustang Mach-E. CA Route 1, Premium, and First Edition trims will come with the Active Drive Assist system as standard. The system will be available as an optional package on the Select trim for $3,200 via the Comfort and Technology package.


Cheaper Than Super Cruise


That's more affordable than GM's Super Cruise system. At the moment, the only vehicle that can be equipped with Super Cruise is the Cadillac Escalade. On the SUV, it's an $8,850 upgrade for the Premium Luxury trim. It costs $6,150 on the Sport trim, and $2,500 on the Premium Luxury Platinum and Platinum trims.


The Active Drive Assist system will be added to the F-150 and Mustang Mach-E through an over-the-air update that will arrive in the third quarter of 2021. Just like GM, Ford will offer the service for three years before consumers can choose a "competitively priced connected service" to keep using the system, which also includes over-the-air updates for improvements and new features.


Just like Super Cruise, Ford's system can only be used on certain sections of divided highways that Ford calls "Hands-Free Zones." The automaker claims that consumers will be able to use the system on over 100,000 miles of highways in North America.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods