Jaguar Land Rover unveils technology to let 4x4 vehicles navigate across mud and snow
Jaguar Land Rover said it will create a fleet of 100 vehicles over the next four years to test autonomous technology
The Jaguar logo is pictured at a Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Mumbai February 13, 2013 PHOTO: Reuters
LONDON:
Britain's biggest car maker Jaguar Land Rover said it will create a fleet of more than 100 research vehicles over the next four years to test autonomous and connected technology, with the first models to hit the streets later this year.
BMW teams up with Intel, Mobileye to develop self-driving cars
Jaguar Land Rover, maker of Range Rover 4x4s and sportier luxury saloons, will drive the initial models on a new 41-mile (66 km) test route on motorways and urban roads near its headquarters and plants in central England.
The market for autonomous driving is worth 900 billion pounds ($1.29 trillion) worldwide, according to the government, but needs to overcome legal obstacles including determining who would be responsible in the event of an accident.
Britain announced plans in March to test cars on motorways and launched a consultation on Monday to change insurance and motoring rules as it pursues plans to allow the public to use driver-less cars on the streets by 2020.
Jaguar Land Rover's Head of Research Tony Harper said the firm's technology, which includes a three-dimensional advanced view of the street ahead to recognize barriers and radio signal communication between cars, could reduce hazards.
Musk hints at top secret Tesla masterplan
"Our connected and automated technology could help improve traffic flow, cut congestion and reduce the potential for accidents," Harper said.
Car makers are ploughing billions of pounds into autonomous technology with Ford already part of a government-sanctioned autonomous testing project in England and Volvo planning to test driver-less cars in London next year.
Japan's Nissan aims to build its first mass-market autonomous car at its north of England facility in Sunderland, Britain's biggest single car plant.
Honda co-develops first hybrid car motor free of heavy rare earth metals
However, traditional automakers face competition from rivals such as Tesla and technology firms such as Alphabet Inc unit Google, which wants eventually to be able to deploy fully autonomous vehicles without human controls.
In Britain, driver-less car testing will need a person to be present and able to take control should the need arise, the Department for Transport has said.
Britain's biggest car maker Jaguar Land Rover said it will create a fleet of more than 100 research vehicles over the next four years to test autonomous and connected technology, with the first models to hit the streets later this year.
BMW teams up with Intel, Mobileye to develop self-driving cars
Jaguar Land Rover, maker of Range Rover 4x4s and sportier luxury saloons, will drive the initial models on a new 41-mile (66 km) test route on motorways and urban roads near its headquarters and plants in central England.
The market for autonomous driving is worth 900 billion pounds ($1.29 trillion) worldwide, according to the government, but needs to overcome legal obstacles including determining who would be responsible in the event of an accident.
Britain announced plans in March to test cars on motorways and launched a consultation on Monday to change insurance and motoring rules as it pursues plans to allow the public to use driver-less cars on the streets by 2020.
Jaguar Land Rover's Head of Research Tony Harper said the firm's technology, which includes a three-dimensional advanced view of the street ahead to recognize barriers and radio signal communication between cars, could reduce hazards.
Musk hints at top secret Tesla masterplan
"Our connected and automated technology could help improve traffic flow, cut congestion and reduce the potential for accidents," Harper said.
Car makers are ploughing billions of pounds into autonomous technology with Ford already part of a government-sanctioned autonomous testing project in England and Volvo planning to test driver-less cars in London next year.
Japan's Nissan aims to build its first mass-market autonomous car at its north of England facility in Sunderland, Britain's biggest single car plant.
Honda co-develops first hybrid car motor free of heavy rare earth metals
However, traditional automakers face competition from rivals such as Tesla and technology firms such as Alphabet Inc unit Google, which wants eventually to be able to deploy fully autonomous vehicles without human controls.
In Britain, driver-less car testing will need a person to be present and able to take control should the need arise, the Department for Transport has said.