Bluecruise 1.5 - automated lane changes - MotorTrend test drive

[Firn]

So leave it on but in park? Long drives wouldn't do it? I never seem to get updates, last one I got was in August or October of last year.

Long drives should, I would think. A few of the more we'll versed folks here dont share my view on this however as the truck has to recieve notice from the mother ship, and that only happens by cellular, it should help (and I believ it did in my case).

I believe it has been said that certain parts of the download also have to happen over cell. If you are not in cell coverage or are jumping from tower to tower the process could theoretically get interrupted.

To be a tech need for a minute, chatgpt may be able to summarize the conversations that have happened here.

This was the process we did to get the 12v battery fully charged, but idling your truck is not going to coax the Ford Update Servers any faster into issuing your OTA, it's only coming when the wizard behind the curtain says it shall be..............

Which is a good point. OP, updates are not infinitely queued for the trucks. They happen at certain times and are active for set amounts of time. Outside that window they won't happen.
But, to that end, if you are not active in that window it may not get the necissary information that it needs to complete the update.

Bottom line, you cant make an update happen. But if its available then I believe idling the truck helps ensure they get delivered and complete

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[PJnc284]

yeah you could leave the truck running for a month non-stop but it wouldn't do any good if your number hasn't been called. If you haven't received any errors that you had an update fail or an update install, then it's just not your time.

The main thing is the truck has to be on to ping the server to see if you won that week's update lottery. If I haven't driven in a while, I usually just go out Thursday evening or Friday morning since my updates usually come on Thursdays and turn the truck on. Then go to the update page and refresh. Wait a few minutes and if nothing shows, turn it off and acknowledge the fact that it wasn't my week. Ford's update rollouts are slow as molasses and you just have to get lucky. That or cave and spend $1k on the equipment to update yourself.

 

[Firn]

For fun I threw this at chatgpt. I think this gives with my memory on discussions here. Sorry, its long.


Chatgpt
Ford’s OTA behavior on the F‑150 Lightning—based on owner reports and forum sleuthing—breaks down into a few clear patterns:


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1. Update Frequency & Timing

Owners typically receive 2–4 updates per year—roughly every 3–6 months. For example, one user saw an update in August 2024, then a hiatus until the next release .

Another owner shared their update schedule, reporting releases on 4/9/25, 3/20/25, 2/1/25, and 1/16/25 .

Summary: Updates arrive episodically—not continuously—and each vehicle is queued individually by Ford’s servers.



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2. What Triggers the Update

The truck “phones home” to Ford servers at startup, checking for queued updates .

Even toggling the “check for software update” option manually may initiate that phone‑home process sooner .

Ford likely staggers releases by model, region, or vehicle ID—so not everyone gets updates simultaneously .



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3. Cellular vs. Wi‑Fi Usage

The Lightning comes with Ford’s built‑in AT&T cellular modem, activated automatically (no SIM insertion needed).

Several forum experts confirm most or all OTA downloads happen over cellular, even with home Wi‑Fi connected .

> “Only “some” updates can be sent over cellular … Wi‑Fi is the preferred connectivity method …” — though others dispute this.



Some users have tested and shown zero Wi‑Fi traffic during updates, even when connected .

Highly technical voices say Wi‑Fi may be used for garage-based tools like FDRS, but cellular is the default OTA channel .



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4. Breakdown of Download vs. Install

PhaseConnection ModeBehavior

Notification/TriggerCellular or Wi‑Fi (phone‑home)Happens during ignition/startup
DownloadMainly cellularLarge files come over the truck’s modem
InstallationHappens when parked, per a schedule (e.g., 1 AM)Applies update to modules when vehicle idle



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5. Key Influencers & Gotchas

12‑V battery health matters—if it’s low, updates may pause or fail .

Updates may fail and require dealership attention via FDRS, especially for stuck modules or after server “black‑holing” .

No user control over update rollouts—they’re pushed per vehicle queue.



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In Plain Terms

1. Ford schedules software packages to be sent to your VIN.


2. When you start the truck, it checks in. If it’s your turn, it gets the go‑ahead.


3. The truck grabs the files via its built‑in cellular modem, usually hundreds of MB.


4. You choose when to install—often at night or when parked idle.


5. Rinse and repeat every few months, if you’re “in the queue.”




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Takeaway

Update frequency: about 2–5 times per year, varying by vehicle and Ford’s rollout schedule.

Trigger point: startup “phone‑home” check or manual check.

Connection: primarily cellular for download; Wi‑Fi doesn’t seem to be used significantly.

Install: scheduled when the vehicle is at rest.



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Pro Tips

Keep your 12‑V battery healthy (a trickle charger overnight helps).

If an expected update never appears, ask forum members to check your VIN via FDRS.

Enable “automatic updates” and set your preferred installation timeframe in settings.



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Let me know if you want a dig into vehicle-specific update logs or a look at how stage-based regional rollouts might affect delay patterns.

 

[Shawnson]

MotorTrend article discussing BC1.5, with the big feature being automated lane changes.

No idea if/when we might see 1.5 on Lightnings, and if so whether it might also be pushed out to the earlier adopters, but looks like a nice upgrade.

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/...5-is-an-even-better-hands-free-driving-system

 

[swajames]

Some very knowledgeable and extremely helpful forum members (rugedraw and Jesse Infotainment) are of the opinion that there is no new hardware required....

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/bc-1-5-hardware-requirements.29075/

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