The Active Drive Assist (ADA) feature Ford has been working on lately will cost car buyers from $1,595 USD, the company revealed.
For the time being, the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 will be the only models to take advantage of it. The e-SUV should receive the feature in its next model year version, while the pickup truck will have to wait until the third quarter of 2021.
The ADA system will become part of the Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 Package and will expand upon the existing Intelligent Cruise Control tech. Using it, the driver will be able to remove the hands from the wheel, but only as long as their attention stays focused on the road. A dedicated infrared camera will constantly track head and eye movements to ensure the latter requirement, effortlessly seeing through sunglasses and masks.
At first, the autopilot feature will be restricted to the so-called Hands-Free Zones. Highly detailed maps of these pre-determined urban areas will be kept in the sat-nav system of the car. Ford says the zones already span more than a hundred thousands of miles throughout 50 U.S. States and Canada.
Those buying the Limited trim of the F-150 pickup will get the ADA automatically, while those opting for the King Ranch, Lariat or Platinum version will have to pay a premium. The Mustang Mach-E will go semi-autonomous in CA Route 1, First Edition and Premium guises, while the entry spec called Select will only get it as part of the $3,200 Comfort and Technology Package.