Owners of the Mustang Mach-E who have gotten used to using its Level 2+ advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), BlueCruise, are in for a shock when they go to renew it. That’s because the automaker revealed that it is increasing the price of the service to $800 per year.
Ford made the announcement on macheforum.com in a thread that was started by a user who noticed the new annual price in an official Ford document intended for customers. It suggested that the price for BlueCruise would be rising to $800 per year, and Ford confirmed that in its comment, adding more context.
“Ford is changing the way it offers BlueCruise to customers,” it wrote in the comment. “Renewal for Mustang Mach-E, excluding certain model year 2021 vehicles, is $800 per year or $75 per month at the end of any initial subscription or trial period.”
Read: Ford’s BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving System For F-150 And Mustang Mach-E Costs $600 For 3 Years
The figure is certainly shocking to consumers, because when Ford first introduced BlueCruise, it charged $600 for a three-year subscription, which amounts to $200 per year. Indeed, people who own a 2021 model year vehicle that was purchased with the optional BlueCruise Prep Package (AKA Ford Co-Pilot360 Active 2.0 Prep Package) will continue to pay the “discounted” rate of $200 per year until the end of their three-year subscription period. After that, it will cost them the same as anyone else.
Meanwhile, as of May 2, 2023, new Mustang Mach-E buyers who opt for BlueCruise at time of purchase can get it for $2,100 for three years (which amounts to $700 per year). Those who do not choose the service get a free 90-day trial.
Owners Feel Misled
The decision resulted in a lot of frustration from owners and forum members. One user responded that he and many other Mach-E owners feel misled by the decision. Another said he hoped Ford’s “market pricing research consultants were cheap so you can afford to redo it when renewal take rate is near zero.”
As with a number of other Level 2+ ADAS systems, BlueCruise allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel when they are traveling along certain highways and roadways. Although it is not revolutionary, the system rated quite highly on a recent Consumer Reports test of ADAS systems, scoring well in capability, safety, and other categories. Whether that’s enough to convince drivers to pay $800 per year remains to be seen.
Correction: In a previous version of the story, it was incorrectly stated that the price hike amounted to 400%. The accurate figure is a 300% increase.
