FIVE TECH SYSTEMS THAT MAKE IT EASIER TO GO OFF-ROADING
Both beginners and pros can tackle the outdoors with more controls and sensors
Has gee-whiz electric trickery taken the fun out of off-roading? Here is a list of five technologies that have arguably democratized off-roading, permitting beginners and pros alike to tackle the worst (meaning the best) that places have to offer.
Sure, it takes away some of the how’d-they-manage-that mystery of navigating through a deep mud pit or down a rocky escarpment, but modern off-road tech allows more people to enjoy the sport while taking a bit of stress off those who already know what they’re doing. Plus, the more people who buy this stuff, the more likely manufacturers are to develop new toys. It’s a win-win.
Using technology already on board the vehicle, such as anti-lock brakes and traction control systems, computers dole out braking force in appropriate measures to hold the truck at a preset speed. That velocity can be selected before heading down the hill, usually by mashing steering wheel buttons or bumping the transmission selector’s manual mode.
Most systems can maintain a speed between three and 20 kilometres an hour without any pedal input from the driver.
While this technology uses some of the same electric gubbins as downhill descent control, it is far more complicated. While the downhill wizardry uses the brakes to keep things in check, this tech holds a preset speed by braking individual wheels and redistributing power when slip is detected. It’s tempting to call it off-road cruise control, but it is actually quite complicated.
Toyota was the first to introduce this feature, but there have been advancements, with Ford introducing it on the Raptor last year. In that application, the system can be set at speeds from 1.5 to 30 km/h in 4x4 conditions.
Crawl Control can hold a speed going uphill, permitting a driver to focus on where they’re pointing the truck’s wheels and choosing the perfect driving line.
Ages ago, hardcore off-roaders would crawl up under their rigs with a couple of greasy tools and disconnect the front sway bar before hitting tough trails. Removing that limitation permits each wheel much more movement, handy when you’re trying to make it over an enormous boulder. Brands such as Jeep and Ram permit their drivers to electronically disconnect the sway bar simply by pushing a dashboard button.
It accomplishes this trick with an electric spline in the sway bar. An electric motor activates a shift fork that causes the spline to push the sway bar apart, effectively splitting it in two and disconnecting it.
When the driver wants to reconnect the bar, each end has a sensor to help the bar reattach itself evenly.
Remember when your parents said they had eyes in the back of their heads? These days, most modern off-roaders actually do.
Many new trucks and off-road focused rigs offer a front camera, permitting the driver to see what’s ahead. Kia has an innovative take on the tool, with its infotainment screen showing the approximate path of the Telluride’s front wheels.
Jeep goes a step further; it spritzes windshield wash right on the front camera if (more like when) it gets dirty. This is incredibly handy when mudding.
Off-roaders know that tackling a water hazard requires starting slowly and then building up momentum. This tech takes some of the guesswork out of navigating the wet stuff.
Land Rover designed sensors for the underside of the vehicle’s side mirrors. Those sensors are essentially park-distance control sensors, slightly tweaked for off-road duty. By fitting them to the mirrors, the distance to the water’s surface — and therefore its depth — can be calculated. Using this information, the vehicle will show an image of itself on the navigation screen, with a blue wash indicating the level of the water and a line illustrating the vehicle’s maximum wading depth.
In a fit of ingenuity, the screen can also show the gradient of the vehicle, telling the driver whether they are heading in to deeper or shallower water.