Jaguar Land Rover presents automatic door that opens for approaching drivers
BRITISH car maker Jaguar Land Rover has presented a system to open drivers’ doors that can function automatically or be triggered by gestures, which has been tested by Australian paralympic athlete Mark Ormrod.
The goal is to have the driver’s door open and close automatically to facilitate easier access to the car. This prototype phase technology, which is currently being tested on a Range Rover Sport, uses motion sensors linked to a keyless entry system to detect approaching drivers and automatically open the door for them.
It should be noted that the motion sensors also ensure that the door does not bump into objects or people, which might otherwise be a problem in car parks where there is not much room between vehicles.
Disabled drivers stand to benefit from this innovation which offers easier access to the driver’s seat, but it will also be of use to parents carrying child seats or anyone who has their hands full and does not want to reach for keys.
Once they are in the car, drivers can close the door with an overhead push-button switch. And the doors can also be configured to close and lock automatically when the driver exits and moves away from the vehicle.
In the long term, Jaguar Land Rover wants to install the system on all of the brand’s future models.
Meanwhile, reports of a New Year jobs cull at Jaguar Land Rover underline the scale of the challenge facing Britain’s biggest carmaker.
Jaguar has not confirmed the stories, which first appeared in the Financial Times. Neither was there a denial.
According to Jaguar, speculation that up to 5,000 jobs may be at risk is just that - “media speculation”.
However, the company has already announced a £ 2.5 billion restructuring plan called Project Charge and Project Accelerate. And as David Bailey, motor industry specialist at Aston Business School, says: “I can’t see how they’d make £ 2.5 billion of savings without laying off workers.”
Signs of trouble have been brewing all year. Jaguar made a pre-tax loss of £ 90 million for the three months to end of September. — Agencies