Ford has an AI assistant and new hands-free BlueCruise tech on the way

Ford announced at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show that it is developing an AI assistant initially launching in its smartphone app in early 2026, with plans to integrate it natively into vehicles by 2027. The assistant, hosted on Google Cloud and built using off-the-shelf large language models (LLMs), will have deep access to vehicle-specific data, enabling it to answer both high-level questions (e.g., truck bed capacity) and provide real-time granular information such as oil life. While Ford has not detailed the in-car user experience, the move aligns with trends from other automakers like Rivian and Tesla, who have introduced advanced digital assistants capable of handling complex tasks including messaging, navigation, and climate control. In addition to the AI assistant, Ford teased a next-generation BlueCruise advanced driver assistance system that will be 30% cheaper to produce and debut in 2027 on a new mid-sized electric pickup built on its Universal Electric Vehicle platform. This updated BlueCruise