The autonomous motoring trial is part of the £20m government-funded project, known as UK Autodrive, which ended in October, after a three-year programme. Jaguar Land Rover engineers completed significant self-driving technology testing on closed tracks, before heading onto judiciously monitored public roads in Milton Keynes and Coventry.
Range Rover’s Sport was chosen for its performance and existing features, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, although it was modified further to include additional navigation sensors, RADAR and LIDAR. Coupled with the UK Autodrive research, the vehicle was able to handle roundabouts autonomously, taking in automated traffic signals, pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles on exceptionally complicated roads. Incidentally, it can also park itself.
Mark Cund, Jaguar Land Rover Autonomous Vehicle Research Manager, said: “The Coventry Ring Road renowned for its complex slip roads and exits. It creates very challenging conditions, especially when under pressure during the rush hour. Our self-driving car is not impacted by the same pressures, frustrations, or fatigue levels that a driver might experience. As a result, it proved capable of turning a potentially stressful situation into one completely stress-free.”
Jaguar Land Rover engineers also developed a number of connected features as part of the UK Autodrive programme. The safety-enhancing and emission reducing technology use the Internet to connect vehicles to each other and also to infrastructure, such as automated traffic signals.
UK Autodrive has helped to accelerate the development of Jaguar Land Rover’s future self-driving and connected technology, as well as strengthening the West Midlands’ position as a hub of mobility innovation. Britain’s largest carmaker, headquartered in Coventry, is working on fully and semi-automated vehicle technologies to offer the choice of either an engaged, or automated, drive. The company’s vision is to make its self-driving vehicles the most capable in the widest range of terrain and weather conditions, albeit putting the customer in control when necessary.
Whether we like it, or not, autonomous motoring is coming. However, it is heartening to appreciate that Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) believe that consumer choice is the real issue and the option to switch-off the electronics will always be in the driver’s hands.
