Jaguar Land Rover eyes up visionary tech

JAGUAR Land Rover is leading a new project aimed at manufacturing cars that can ‘see’. The initiative, called AutopleX, is developing autonomous vehicles able to detect obstacles and even look around corners. The technology would allow self-driving cars to better detect potential hazards and enable them to operate more effectively in challenging and congestion-heavy environments.

Chris Holmes, Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Research Manager at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “This project is crucial in order to bring self-driving cars to our customers in the near future. Together with our AutopleX partners, we will merge headlights and chunky black cladding around its wheel arches.

The new model is fractionally wider and longer but the boot is still disappointingly small and not great if you have to contend with golf clubs. Capacity does treble with the rear seats folded flat.

The cabin retains a macho persona with a reluctance to flip fully to what you get from the likes of Audi. But it does have an efficient touchscreen and the handstitched leather on seats and dashboard suggests quality. I am reminded of the car’s credentials with the hill-descent control and its X-mode electronic drivetrain designed to keep the car moving on soft, wet mud.

The bulk of my journeys in this XV were on the windy, twisty backroads where the ride was comfortable and its suspension capably dealing with broken surfaces.

On one occasion I depressed the accelerator with a keen jab and was met by a loud, dry throaty scream.

Many car enthusiasts will dismiss the thought of a CVT transmission set-up, which Subaru has updated its XV SE Premium but its true appeal still lies in its strength and dependability is the only one available on this model, but I found it worked really well in maintaining smooth power delivery. Its steering is weighted, perhaps towards feeling heavy and it felt well planted and secure on corners. It’s not particularly fast; performance is more adequate than rapid.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that’s strong, dependable and must regularly travel across rugged ground, has safety features to protect occupants such as its engine sliding under the cabin rather than into it on impact and an EyeSight system that reads the road ahead the Subaru XV is for you. our connected and autonomous research to empower our self-driving vehicles to operate safely in the most challenging real-world traffic situations. This project will ensure we deliver the most sophisticated and capable automated driving technology.”

The manufacturer is in the process of developing fully and semi-autonomous vehicle technologies, which would allow drivers to choose to pilot the car themselves or allow the vehicle to do it for them. This will be tested through simulations and tests on public roads within the West Midlands.

Other organisations involved in the new project include Highways England, INRIX and Siemens.