Long highway drives with a trailer behind the truck can wear a driver out. Holding the lane, managing speed and watching the mirrors for kilometre after kilometre takes steady attention. For 2027, Ford is bringing its BlueCruise hands-free highway driving to trailer towing for the first time, and the F-150 is the first truck to get it.
BlueCruise with Towing is designed to help with steering, braking and acceleration on pre-qualified highways while a boat, camper or equipment trailer follows along. Here’s what the feature will do, how it keeps the driver involved, and which trucks will be able to use it.
What Is BlueCruise With Towing?
BlueCruise is Ford’s hands-free, eyes-on driver-assist feature for highway driving. It works on pre-qualified sections of divided highways called Blue Zones, and Ford counts nearly 210,000 km of them. When a Blue Zone is available, a prompt appears on the instrument cluster, and the driver taps the Adaptive Cruise Control button on the steering wheel to let BlueCruise assist.
BlueCruise with Towing extends that experience to trucks pulling a trailer. Ford calls it one of its most complex software projects so far, because trailer weight, load placement, wind and sway all change how a truck steers and stops.
How Much Can It Tow Hands-Free?
The 2027 F-150 with BlueCruise with Towing will offer hands-free highway driving with up to 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg) of trailer when properly configured. Reaching that figure requires the Tow/Haul Package and the optional Max Tow Axle. If a truck’s own maximum towing rating is lower, that lower number applies.
Ford says the 10,000 lb figure is more than other gas-powered pickups in its class can offer for hands-free towing.
Which 2027 F-150 Trucks Get It?
Ford isn’t limiting this feature to top trims. Every 2027 F-150 that is equipped with BlueCruise will be able to use BlueCruise with Towing. Ford’s 2027 information lists it on the XLT, Lariat, Tremor, King Ranch and Platinum.
An active BlueCruise plan or trial is required. The F-150 is the launch vehicle, and Ford plans to bring BlueCruise with Towing to other new vehicle lines in the future.
How Does It Keep the Driver in Control?
BlueCruise with Towing is built to work with the driver, and several safeguards are part of the design:
- Trailer profile first: Before using the feature, the driver creates a trailer profile with accurate dimensions for what’s being towed.
- Sway monitoring: If trailer sway continues, the system slows the truck, limits speed or hands control back to the driver.
- Speed limit: Hands-free towing is capped at 120 km/h. Without a trailer, BlueCruise tops out at 130 km/h.
- Weight and tire checks: The feature won’t run if the total weight of the truck and trailer goes over the allowed limit, or if the tire pressure warning light is on.
Some BlueCruise functions change while towing. Lane changes are done by the driver, In-Lane Repositioning is turned off, and if the system detects a construction zone, it prompts the driver to put both hands back on the wheel.
How Did Ford Test It?
Ford’s in-house driver-assist team ran thousands of real-world test kilometres at high altitude, on tight curves and across high-wind plains. Engineers tried dozens of truck-and-trailer setups with different weights and load layouts.
Simulation testing in Ford’s Driving Dynamics Lab expanded that work even further, letting the team check far more setups and scenarios than road testing alone could cover. The goal is a hands-free towing experience that manages steering, braking and acceleration smoothly while the driver keeps watching the road.
Who Will Benefit Most?
BlueCruise with Towing is aimed at F-150 owners who put long highway kilometres on their trucks with a trailer attached. A few examples:
- Families pulling a travel trailer to a campground
- Boat owners heading to the marina for the weekend
- Contractors hauling equipment trailers between job sites
For these drivers, sharing some of the steering and speed work on long highway stretches can make arrival feel less tiring.
At a Glance
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Feature
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Detail
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Launch vehicle
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2027 Ford F-150
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Max hands-free towing
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Up to 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg) when properly configured
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Required equipment
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Tow/Haul Package and optional Max Tow Axle
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Hands-free speed cap while towing
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120 km/h
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Where it works
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Pre-qualified divided highways (Blue Zones)
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Availability
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Every BlueCruise-equipped 2027 F-150
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Ask About BlueCruise With Towing at Coastal Ford Burnaby
Planning a camper or boat season with a new truck in mind? Stop by Coastal Ford Burnaby, and our Burnaby team will be happy to explain how BlueCruise with Towing will work on the 2027 F-150 and which configurations are set up for it. We’ll help you plan your next truck around the trailer you tow.
