"Watch the road" and "resume control" are driving me crazy

[MJinNC]

I bought a 2024 Nautilus about 5 weeks ago. The Blue Cruise free period just ran out this week. I thought this was a Blue Cruise problem but it's still happening with regular old adaptive cruise. While I'm driving, I might be drinking coffee, or reading the road signs for my next exit, or checking my rearview. I get frequent warnings to "watch the road." If the car doesn't think I'm watching the road intently enough, it then escalates to "resume control." Once this warning is issued, the only fix is to tap the brakes or turn off cruise control. It is far more distracting for me to reset the cruise than whatever infraction my nanny car observed in me. Today I tested what would happen if I refused to disable the cruise. I already knew the car would progressively jerk and slow until I did something. To my surprise the car activated the emergency flashers. Now I'm driving slow on the interstate and frantically searching for the emergency flashers button. This was not only embarrassing but really distracting and dangerous. I ended up finishing the trip without using the cruise. How is this an improvement over the original invention of plain old cruise control? TLDR: Is there anyway to disable this cascade of warnings or to lower the sensitivity of the sensor? Call me a Luddite, but I'm about ready to return the car.

 

[gooberpeas0911]

My recommendation for every '24-25 Nautilus owner - have the dealer perform all necessary software updates. One of several available for '24 models is an update that (at least for me) significantly reduces the frequency of the warnings.

 

[Houtex]

It is annoying that the nanny cam is on even when Blue Cruise is not in use. The only way to disable it is to turn off the Lane Centering on the steering wheel.

I used to get the keep your hands on the steering wheel message constantly, even when I had both hands on the steering wheel. They must have tweaked the algorithm as it happens less frequently now.

 

[Fuzzy John]

I can say that I didn't have this experience. A few days ago I drove about 80 miles with Blue Cruise and I was admonished only once. As for driving without Blue Cruise, it never happened.

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[angore]

My wife gets the keep hands on wheel far more often than I do but we hold the wheel in different positions.

 

[swindler]

I agree with @gooberpeas0911 that it sounds like you may not have the latest updates. Also, I believe I read that the upcoming BlueCruise 1.4 update is not as overbearing.

However, don't expect to be able to turn this off. The safety rating of the vehicle is partly based on how well it keeps the driver engaged.

 

[greerl]

I bought a 2024 Nautilus about 5 weeks ago. The Blue Cruise free period just ran out this week. I thought this was a Blue Cruise problem but it's still happening with regular old adaptive cruise. While I'm driving, I might be drinking coffee, or reading the road signs for my next exit, or checking my rearview. I get frequent warnings to "watch the road." If the car doesn't think I'm watching the road intently enough, it then escalates to "resume control." Once this warning is issued, the only fix is to tap the brakes or turn off cruise control. It is far more distracting for me to reset the cruise than whatever infraction my nanny car observed in me. Today I tested what would happen if I refused to disable the cruise. I already knew the car would progressively jerk and slow until I did something. To my surprise the car activated the emergency flashers. Now I'm driving slow on the interstate and frantically searching for the emergency flashers button. This was not only embarrassing but really distracting and dangerous. I ended up finishing the trip without using the cruise. How is this an improvement over the original invention of plain old cruise control? TLDR: Is there anyway to disable this cascade of warnings or to lower the sensitivity of the sensor? Call me a Luddite, but I'm about ready to return the car.

I acknowledge that my Corsair could be different and that your vehicle could be defective but I do not experience the described interventions.

Your vehicle is telling you that you have unsafe driving behavior. Have you seriously considered that your vehicle may be correct?

 

[Tim-in-AZ]

It is annoying that the nanny cam is on even when Blue Cruise is not in use. The only way to disable it is to turn off the Lane Centering on the steering wheel.

I used to get the keep your hands on the steering wheel message constantly, even when I had both hands on the steering wheel. They must have tweaked the algorithm as it happens less frequently now.

Just saw a video on this. The sensor is torque sensitive, not based on hand pressure. It is looking for your movement of the steering wheel occasionally.

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[RetiredGuyinFL]

I get the "Keep Hands on Steering Wheel" alert frequently, multiple times on any drive. It is so annoying when my two hands are always on the wheel. I don't use cruise control around town and use BlueCruise even less frequently. It makes no difference what mode, the keep hands on steering whee alertl happens way too frequently. My brother has the same car and says he never gets the alert. I have had all the software updates and the car has spent a total of 6 weeks in the shop for various problems. I suspect this may be some kind of a calibration issue. I have an outstanding recall for the power window reversal safety feature (24C43). I don't intend to have this done until I take the car in for its next oil change. I'll request the usual OASIS check of all available software updates.

 

[swindler]

I get the "Keep Hands on Steering Wheel" alert frequently, multiple times on any drive. It is so annoying when my two hands are always on the wheel. I don't use cruise control around town and use BlueCruise even less frequently. It makes no difference what mode, the keep hands on steering whee alertl happens way too frequently. My brother has the same car and says he never gets the alert. I have had all the software updates and the car has spent a total of 6 weeks in the shop for various problems. I suspect this may be some kind of a calibration issue. I have an outstanding recall for the power window reversal safety feature (24C43). I don't intend to have this done until I take the car in for its next oil change. I'll request the usual OASIS check of all available software updates.

The difference may also be a driver issue. I'm not inducting you, sir, I'm just saying that your position relative to the camera, your height, where your hands are on the wheel, etc, may impact why your brother isn't flagged as much as you. The good news is the upcoming BlueCruise is supposed to be less strict.

Personally we've had the car for 13 months and have yet to turn on BlueCruise — or even cruise control. I would use it, but it's my wife's car, only she drives it, and she refuses to use it.

 

[Jacyte]

Just saw a video on this. The sensor is torque sensitive, not based on hand pressure. It is looking for your movement of the steering wheel occasionally.

My 2019 edge needed some torque input while my 24 nautilus seems to be ok with just my hand on the wheel with no weight. It may just be much more sensitive to torque input though. I generally use bluecruise though so it only needs eyes forward and no wheel input at all.

 

[swindler]

Sorry, this is a subscription article. But just the first paragraph is good enough to add to this thread.

Stop nagging me!

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[gfdublin]

I bought a 2024 Nautilus about 5 weeks ago. The Blue Cruise free period just ran out this week. I thought this was a Blue Cruise problem but it's still happening with regular old adaptive cruise. While I'm driving, I might be drinking coffee, or reading the road signs for my next exit, or checking my rearview. I get frequent warnings to "watch the road." If the car doesn't think I'm watching the road intently enough, it then escalates to "resume control." Once this warning is issued, the only fix is to tap the brakes or turn off cruise control. It is far more distracting for me to reset the cruise than whatever infraction my nanny car observed in me. Today I tested what would happen if I refused to disable the cruise. I already knew the car would progressively jerk and slow until I did something. To my surprise the car activated the emergency flashers. Now I'm driving slow on the interstate and frantically searching for the emergency flashers button. This was not only embarrassing but really distracting and dangerous. I ended up finishing the trip without using the cruise. How is this an improvement over the original invention of plain old cruise control? TLDR: Is there anyway to disable this cascade of warnings or to lower the sensitivity of the sensor? Call me a Luddite, but I'm about ready to return the car.

Are you sure the Blue Cruise service "ran out"? I bought a new 2024 Naut on Jan 8th 2025, and the Blue Cruise service does not run out until Jan 8th 2026, a full year. Could an update have turned off your Lincoln connection? (All you need do is turn it back on)

 

[gooberpeas0911]

On the '24 models, different trims (and different packages) got different trial lengths.

My understanding is Premiere I and Reserve I and II only got 90 days
Reserve III and Black Label got 4 years

And I want to say even that changed - at some point they extended some of the 90 day folks to 1 year based upon the build date.

It's definitely hard to keep up with LOL

 

[JMAB]

On the '24 models, different trims (and different packages) got different trial lengths.

My understanding is Premiere I and Reserve I and II only got 90 days
Reserve III and Black Label got 4 years

And I want to say even that changed - at some point they extended some of the 90 day folks to 1 year based upon the build date.

It's definitely hard to keep up with LOL

Got 4 years of Blue Cruise with Reserve II (24 model) on ours.

 

[gooberpeas0911]

In fairness - what I shared came directly from the Lincoln configurator. They've definitely changed course several times. The '25 models are much less ambiguous.

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[JMAB]

In fairness - what I shared came directly from the Lincoln configurator. They've definitely changed course several times. The '25 models are much less ambiguous.

I agree - the 4 year subscription was one of the main contributors to us landing on the 24 R2 model.

 

[CliffDiver]

According to the 2024 Model Year Order Guide, For 2024 models, Premier I and II got 90 days of Blue Cruise originally. Everything else got 4 years of Blue Cruise. Everybody got 3 years of Alexa Built-In. Everyone got 1 year of the Calm App. Everyone got 1 year of Premium Connectivity (which the 2024 Order Guide called "Lincoln Streaming (Data Connectivity Plan) Enabling: Google Maps". Everyone got "Life of the Mobile Network" for "Lincoln Connect/Modem Activation". Everyone got a 90 trial of Wi-Fi Hotspot.

 

[swindler]

…and 90 days Sirius XM.

What @CliffDiver described is certainly what was offered throughout the 2024 model year. They may have changed it when the '25s came out.

 

[Naughty]

According to the 2024 Model Year Order Guide, For 2024 models, Premier I and II got 90 days of Blue Cruise originally. Everything else got 4 years of Blue Cruise. Everybody got 3 years of Alexa Built-In. Everyone got 1 year of the Calm App. Everyone got 1 year of Premium Connectivity (which the 2024 Order Guide called "Lincoln Streaming (Data Connectivity Plan) Enabling: Google Maps". Everyone got "Life of the Mobile Network" for "Lincoln Connect/Modem Activation". Everyone got a 90 trial of Wi-Fi Hotspot.

My wife has a 24 non hybrid Reserve 1 and it only came with 90 days of Blue Cruise