What's all this about?
Jaguar Land Rover has revealed some of its autonomous technologies, designed to allow self-driving cars to go anywhere. It has even created a Range Rover Sport that can be driven from outside the car via a smartphone app.
Like James Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies?
Not exactly; forget about racing round multi-storey car parks, as the maximum speed when driven by phone is 4mph. You won't evade any bad guys but it is enough to get the car out of a parking space if someone parks so close that you can't open the door.
This being a Range Rover the app includes the ability to switch between high and low range as well as control of steering, brakes and accelerator. For difficult off-roading situations, the driver can use the app to guide the car from outside whilst walking alongside or ahead to assess the state of the terrain. For safety, it only works if it can detect the smart key and as long as the driver is within 10 metres of the car - it will also stop if the driver stands too close.
Can the tech do any other tricks?
If you struggled with the 'three-point turn' on the driving test, the 'Multi-Point Turn' Range Rover is the answer to your prayers. Thanks to autonomous technology, it can turn itself through 180 degrees whilst avoiding pedestrians and other vehicles. Although not yet production ready the idea is that the system would assess the environment and advise if it is suitable to perform the turn. The driver would then confirm the manoeuvre; the car would move forward and turn until it encountered an obstacle. It would then automatically select reverse and steer; repeating the process until car is facing the opposite direction.
It sounds like Jaguar Land Rover is taking this stuff seriously.
It is; the goal is to make autonomous cars that work in a range of driving environments and weather conditions. To make everything work depends on a variety of sensors including radar, LIDAR, cameras, ultrasonics and structured light technology. The company has stated it wants 'to create driver-focussed autonomous technologies to enhance the driving experience'.
John Lambert - 17 Jun 2015