Jeep quietly introduces Hands-Free Driving Assist to 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee after originally announcing the feature back in 2021. HFDA will eventually make its way to other Stellantis products to bring the fight to GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise systems in the automated driving wars.
The 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit 4×4 is one of three trim levels that gets the new Hands-Free Driving Assist technology.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is an icon in the SUV world with the model boasting an impressive mixture of luxury, technology, and off-road capability. However, the one thing that was missing from the equation was the Hands-Free Driving Assist feature which was first announced back in 2022 before it vanished from view.
That’s now changing, with the brand adding it to the 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee and eventually expanding its reach to other models in an attempt to broaden its automated driving technology.
A Two Year Wait
As reported by Motor Authority, Jeep chose to sneak Hands-Free Driving Assist (HFDA) into the Jeep Grand Cherokee in late 2023 after a two-year wait. When the brand originally announced the system, Jeep claimed that HFDA would allow drivers to experience hands-free driving capability on approved roads with automated lane-centering and the ability to slow down the equipped vehicle in tight curves.
After that early flurry of press releases, the system faded into obscurity and wasn’t seen on production Jeep models with some prospective buyers wondering if Jeep would follow through with the system.
Unmistakably Jeep, the 2024 Grand Cherokee looks pretty much like any other Grand Cherokee you’ve seen — except with sharper lines.
Two years later, Jeep is finally going full circle and it appears the wait was worth it, despite the cost of giving GM and Ford a headstart with their equivalent systems.
HFDA follows the same core blueprint that we have already seen in GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise systems with Jeep’s version only being allowed to operate on approved freeways with the system having the ability to change lanes automatically after the driver uses the turn signal.
HFDA is also capable of working at speeds up to 90 mph though we suspect that most buyers will not hit that cutoff point due to the speed limits on many U.S. freeways being between 65 mph to 80 mph depending on where you are located.
The system uses an infrared camera mounted on the steering wheel to monitor the driver’s eyes. If it senses the driver is not paying attention, HFDA will flash a series of visual prompts moving from green, to yellow, and finally to red. If the red prompts are reached, the equipped vehicle will perform a controlled stop and then use the cellphone connection to call for help.
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HFDA To Expand Its Reach To Other Models
For the moment, the Hands-Free Driving Assist System is exclusive to the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Grand Cherokee L with the $2,995 optional extra being reserved for three trim levels: Overland, Summit, and the range-topping Summit Reserve. HFDA is also limited to the 3.6-liter V6 with the system
With quilted leather upholstery, open-pore wood trim and multiple high-tech digital displays — including a 10.3-inch touchscreen, the new Grand Cherokee.
being incompatible with V8 models as well as the 4xe plug-in hybrid.
That’s a glaring difference from its Detroit rivals which offer their systems on a wider array of powertrains and aren’t limited to using only one for the technology to work properly. You can’t tow with it like Super Cruise either but we’re willing to give it a pass here since BlueCruise doesn’t have that capability either.
HFDA will also be offered as a subscription-based service but Jeep wasn’t ready to reveal final subscription prices for the system after the initial 3-year trial period ends. However, a brand spokesman confirmed to Motor Authority that HFDAS works on 125,000 miles of approved roads with the system determining which routes are approved via integrated data from TomTom, A GPS receiver, and the SUV’s camera system.
While the system is currently exclusive to the Grand Cherokee, Stellantis has plans to introduce the system to other models in its broader empire including the 2025 Ram 1500 pickup which is also slated to get the technology (and the same 3-year trial period) when it makes its way to dealerships. The flagship Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer could also get the technology as well but it remains to be seen when Jeep will pull the trigger on doing that for those models.
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