News : JLR demonstrates autonomous vehicles

JLR Driving Towards Autonomy - Amsterdam 1

Jaguar Land Rover is supporting the European Union’s plan for the standardisation and harmonisation of autonomous vehicle technology. It has demonstrated a range of autonomous vehicles, including ‘hands-free’ driving, to EU Transport Ministers on the streets of Amsterdam.

The 28 EU Member States met at the EU Council of Ministers meeting to discuss the importance of legal and technical standardisation and harmonisation relating to the legality of testing, selling and liability associated with autonomous vehicles.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: ‘We are all working on exciting autonomous driving technologies. To successfully deliver these technologies industry needs a common approach between carmakers, mobile telecom providers and providers of roadside infrastructure systems.

‘This will allow standardisation and harmonisation, enabling cars to communicate with each other and the roadside infrastructure around them efficiently and effectively. It allows Jaguar Land Rover to deliver technologies that are relevant, accessible and affordable to customers.’

JLR Driving Towards Autonomy - Amsterdam 2

Keith Adams

4 Comments

  1. “Dr Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: ‘We are all working on exciting autonomous driving technologies.”

    Honestly, i cannot see why we should be excited about this. Personally speaking, i am always bored to death when i am a passenger.

  2. Totally agree. It’s a terrible idea on virtually every level. However, if I can send a text to my car to come and pick me up from the pub after seven pints then absolutely, bring it on.

  3. Can’t wait for self-driving cars to arrive. 95% of people would answer Yes to the question “would you like to have your own chauffeur on demand 24/7?” The advances in safety and convenience would be immense.

    Rush-hour commuting? Sit back and catch up on your emails or read a book while the car drives you.

    Driving to a busy city centre? Let the self-driving car drop you off in the centre of town, then send it away to park itself, then summon it again when you’re ready to go.

    Long boring motorway drive? The self-driving car will never doze off or lose focus.

    Fancy a drink or ten? No problem – lie across the back seat and sleep off the hangover while the car drives you home.

    Taking young children on a long drive on holiday? Sit in the back with them and keep them entertained, while the car does the driving for you.

    Having driven two under 5s from Surrey to Cornwall in peak holiday season last summer, I could definitely appreciate the last example, rather than just trying to placate my kids with sweets and iPads.

    OAPs crashing their cars and taking out innocent bystanders? Not once autonomous vehicles are commonplace.

    I have an old XK8 which I am happy to keep for weekends, but for routine daily driving I would embrace autonomous cars. While several manufacturers say that they will have autonomous cars ready for market by 2020 or so, I cannot envisage human-piloted cars being banned from the roads for at least another 10 years after that.

  4. It would be interesting to know what would happen in the very long term to drive dynamics which are currently focussed on driver enjoyment – at least in cars worth having. Cabin ambiance and entertainment systems would certainly become more important which would act in JLR’s favour – to the detriment of most far eastern manufacturers.

    There will of course be much resistance from the luddites but if one day this is compulsory for new cars it would be a further boost to the classic movement as this could one day be the only way to enjoy ‘full control’ driving – assuming we’re not regulated off the roads…..

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