Forza Horizon 6 Autopilot Is Trending, but Can It Really Drive for You?

Forza Horizon 6 has barely been in early access since May 15, but its new AutoDrive feature is already all over overseas social media test clips. In a few days, the discussion has settled on one point: this is not a calm highway assist system, but an AI route-runner that cares first about reaching the destination. The game is already available on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and Xbox Series X|S, with the full launch set for May 19.

On paper, AutoDrive makes sense for Horizon's open-world structure. Forza Horizon 6 is the first game in the series to be set in Japan, with players driving through Tokyo streets, country roads, mountain passes, and snow-covered tracks. Once you set a destination, you can use the voice assistant ANNA to activate fully automated driving with one command, then cancel it at any time with the wheel, throttle, or brake. During the drive, you are free to pan the camera and take in the scenery, or switch to more cinematic angles to enjoy the game's Japanese vistas.

The problem is that the system is not built around safety or comfort. Based on player testing, AutoDrive's priorities are extremely clear: avoid the vehicle directly ahead, then find any way to keep moving along the route. That is why clips show the AI climbing onto the central divider to complete an overtake, smashing through roadside barriers, and even cutting into the oncoming lane at 150 km/h. It can drive. It just drives like a speedrunner focused only on the finish line.

That also explains why reactions vary so much by scenario. When traffic is light and the road is open, the AI can actually look smooth, dodging cars, taking corners cleanly, and maintaining high-speed cruising up to 300 km/h. But once the map gets denser, or the car has been tuned for drifting, rear-end stability falls apart quickly and crashes become much more common. There is also no proactive stopping behavior in this system, so minor impacts are effectively part of the package.

Used as a sandbox tool rather than an all-purpose chauffeur, AutoDrive makes a lot more sense. If you want to admire the Japanese scenery, travel from point A to point B, or use cinematic cameras while free-roaming, it has real value. If you hand it a high-power drift build and expect a spotless, professional-quality drive, you are pushing directly against the way the system is designed. The more practical approach is to cap the car's top speed and lower its performance so the AI shifts into a gentler, slower driving mode.

There is arguably even more to discuss in races. According to the current information, AutoDrive is not limited to free roam and can also take over in competitive events. On tracks without civilian traffic, its driving logic changes as well. Community tests already suggest that, if you lower the race difficulty and pick a suitable car, it is possible to rely on AutoDrive for an entire event and still win. For some players, that will read as a convenience feature. For others, it will feel like a dilution of racing's core sense of participation.

The more convincing way to read it is as Forza Horizon 6's clearest simulation + sandbox experiment: let the system solve the rules first, then leave the risk tuning to the player. You can turn it into a travel mode or into slapstick chaos depending on the car, the road conditions, and the speed limit you give it. If pure manual driving and clean racing matter most to you, it may be wiser to wait for more feedback after the May 19 full release. If you already like open-world cruising, photography, and testing the edges of game systems, this feature may end up being one of the game's most conversation-generating selling points.

One final note: the currently available information is inconsistent on the PS5 version's release window. One part says it is confirmed for the second half of 2026, while the end of the article says it will launch in the second half of this year. Given that contradiction, the safest reference for now remains the already available PC and Xbox versions, which are also included in Xbox and PC game subscription services.