JLR continues to work towards addressing the wider issues around future transport with its urban concept vehicle, Project Vector.
THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY
style=”light” size=”5″]Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled a bold new concept vehicle, Project Vector, as part of the company’s Destination Zeromission – an ambition to make societies safer and healthier, and the environment cleaner. Its four-metre long advanced multi-use electric car is designed for the city, and is ‘autonomy-ready’ to offer JLR’s vision of connected urban mobility.
The Project Vector concept has been developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre with close collaboration between academic and external partners. It addresses wider issues of future transport, from how customers connect with mobility services, to the infrastructure required to enable fully integrated, autonomous vehicles in our cities.
JLR sees urban travel in the future to be a combination of owned and shared vehicles, allowing access to ride hailing and on-demand services as well as public transport. Its vision shows the Project Vector will be a flexible part of that network that can be adapted for different purposes. Says project director Dr Tim Leverton, “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.”
The compact city car packages all its battery and drivetrain components into a flat floor so that the revolutionary interior cabin space can allow seating configurations for private or shared use and has the opportunity for commercial applications, such as last-mile deliveries. Project Vector’s chief engineer Prof Dr Gero Kempf, says, “It’s a unique opportunity – a concept platform designed and engineered by a major car maker as a blank canvas for developing tailored services and apps in the ecosystem of a smart city.”
In the immediate future, JLR intends to work with the Coventry City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority to plan a mobility service from late 2021, developing a ‘living laboratory’ for future transport on Coventry’s streets.
Ralf Speth, JLR’s CEO, explains, “Jaguar Land Rover understands the trends shaping modern societies. Through this project, we are collaborating with the brightest minds in academia, supply chain and digital services to create connected, integrated mobility systems – the fundamental building blocks for Destination Zero. Project Vector is precisely the brave and innovative leap forward needed to deliver on our mission.”
