Jaguar Land Rover’s vision of urban mobility looks like this

MANILA: Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has unveiled a new concept that embodies the company's idea of what an autonomous vehicle will be in the city of the future.

The concept falls under JLR’s Destination Zero project, which imagines a world of zero emissions, and uses Project Vector, an "autonomy-ready" platform that offers "unparalleled interior space and flexibility in vehicle configuration."

“It’s also a unique opportunity – a concept platform designed and engineered around urban centric use cases by a major car maker as a blank canvas, for developing tailored services and apps in the ecosystem of a smart city,” said Professor Dr Gero Kempf, chief engineer.

As it is designed to operate in smart cities of the future, this concept is compact and measures just four meters in length. The battery and drivetrain are built flat into the floor to make the cabin as versatile as possible.

Aside from being a private vehicle, the concept can also be for shared use or commercial applications such as last-mile deliveries.

JLR plans to conduct an on-road pilot program in Coventry by 2021.

“The megatrends of urbanization and digitalization make connected urban mobility systems necessary and inevitable. Shared and private vehicles will share spaces with and be connected to public transit networks, so you can travel on demand and autonomously. That is a complex task, best achieved by working together with partners across the spectrum of vehicles, infrastructure and the digital world. With the technology and engineering power of Jaguar Land Rover, we can provide a unique opportunity for innovators to develop highly-functional urban mobility services, seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Future urban travel will be a composite of owned and shared vehicles, access to ride hailing and on-demand services as well as public transport. Our vision shows the vehicle as a flexible part of the urban mobility network that can be adapted for different purposes,” said Dr. Tim Leverton, Project Vector director.

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