Jaguar Land Rover will launch a self-driving shuttle.
More and more people are expected to move to cities in the future. Limited parking, coupled with congestion, will make owning and driving their own cars a hassle.
Automakers recognize this and seem to have reached a consensus on a solution: self-driving shuttles providing rides around town.
Jaguar Land Rover is the latest automaker to reveal its commitment to the idea, joining General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, and others.
The British automaker's design, called Project Vector, is an automated, battery-electric shuttle that fleets can purchase and deploy in cities. It is just over 13 feet long and is designed to be flexible enough to be used to carry luggage or passengers.
Project Vector will be tested on the streets of Coventry, England in late 2021 as part of a pilot mobility service being implemented in partnership with Coventry City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority, and for safety reasons the vehicle will still have a steering wheel and pedals. Jaguar Land Rover has already been testing an automated prototype in Coventry since 2017.
The automaker's long-term goal is to develop both partially and fully automated driving systems. They are also looking to enable self-driving vehicles in the widest range of situations, including off-road and inclement weather conditions.