Jaguar Land Rover is currently busy researching and developing autonomous driving technologies that would work not only on the road, but also off the road, no matter what the conditions are.
“Our all-terrain autonomy research isn’t just about the car driving itself on a motorway or in extreme off-road situations. It’s about helping both the driven and autonomous car make their way safely through any terrain or driving situation,” said Tony Harper, head of research at Jaguar Land Rover.
Surface identification and 3D path sensing research combines camera, ultrasonic, radar and LIDAR sensors to give the car a 360-degree view of the world around it. These sensors are so advanced that the car could determine surface characteristics, down to the width of a tire, even in rain and falling snow, to plan its route.
“The key enabler for autonomous driving on any terrain is to give the car the ability to sense and predict the 3D path it is going to drive through,” Harper further explained. “This means being able to scan and analyse both the surface to be driven on, as well as any hazards above and to the sides of the path ahead. This might include car park barriers, tree roots and boulders or overhanging branches, as well as the materials and topography to be driven on.”
