Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled a new autonomous Range Rover Sport prototype that is capable of driving autonomously through city traffic. The prototype uses a new technology, called Autonomous Urban Drive, and it is a step closer to achieving ‘level four’ autonomy in Jaguar Land Rover’s future vehicles within the next decade.

Jaguar Land Rover is working on both fully- and semi-autonomous technologies

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Level four autonomous vehicles are capable of driving in specific environments, like towns and cities without any driver intervention. Using the Autonomous Urban Drive prototype technology, passengers can select a location and the Range Rover Sport research vehicle will decide the best route.

Jaguar Land Rover is working on both fully- and semi-autonomous technologies to reach its vision of making the autonomous car viable in the widest range of real-life, on- and off-road driving environments and weather.

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“The automotive landscape is changing faster today than ever before. As a technology company, our innovation is continuous and our cars of the future will become more capable, cleaner, more connected, more desirable and smarter,” stated Tony Harper Director of Engineering Research, Jaguar Land Rover. “Our Autonomous Urban Drive research is Jaguar Land Rover’s next step in our development of both fully and semi-autonomous vehicle technologies. However, we aren’t looking at simply replacing the driver, and making cars ‘driverless’. Future technologies will give the driver more not less – they will assist and ultimately enhance the driving experience.

Following the final trials at HORIBA MIRA’s Midlands Proving Ground today, the first set of trials on public roads are due in Milton Keynes and Coventry later this year. The trials will initially take place on closed roads before moving into open-road trials and demonstrations as the project draws to a close in summer 2018.

Source: Land Rover