Range Rover Sport Is A Life Sized RC Car

on June 18, 2015 at 3:36 pm

What if you were able to drive around your car like a remote controlled toy?

This week, Jaguar Land Rover developed a system that allows drivers to remote control their vehicles using a smart phone app. The technology lets you navigate a car at very low speeds while you’re outside, helping you get past hard terrain or tricky parking spots. Right now you have to operate everything manually, but the hope is that this will eventually bring a level of push-button autonomy where you simply tap a button to avoid some rocks or back out of your garage.

It may seem completely unnecessary, but there’s a real practical aspect to it. When driving off-road, it is often a good idea to have a spotter, someone outside the car who can watch the wheels and make sure that the vehicle is safe while rolling over rocks. But what if you’re driving alone out on the trail, and you need an outside view? Now with this option, you can be both spotter and driver.

The app currently functions via Bluetooth, according to a report from Wired UK, which limits its range to 10 meters. However, the company reportedly plans to move the system over to Wi-Fi for greater range, and is also developing a tablet version which would take advantage of the Range Rover Sport’s surround camera system to provide a live video feed from the bumpers and wheels.

The company also unveiled a second prototype – a Range Rover Sport that can successfully execute a 180-degree turn in tight spaces autonomously without any driver input.