Self-learning car on cards

Jaguar Land Rover says a new vehicle it’s developing will recognise the driver, check his or her schedule, plot a route and adjust the seat before its doors are even opened. Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology, says the goal is to create a car with a more personalised experience and to minimise distractions to help prevent accidents. “Up until now, most self-learning car research has only focused on traffic or navigation prediction,” he says. “We want to take this a step further.” The technology is operated by a smartphone linking up to the car’s Smart Assistant – a system that can then access the motorist’s calendar and use the information for navigation and reminders. If, for example, you have a meeting at 2pm on Wednesday, the vehicle will not only work out the best route to travel, but will also offer to call ahead if it looks like you’re running late. The software essentially learns the owner’s driving style. When automatic adaptive cruise control is enabled, the car will mimic the style and remember the preferred distance the driver likes to keep from the car ahead and the type of acceleration that’s most comfortable. Dr Epple says: “It is technology concepts, such as the self-learning car, that will ensure future intelligent vehicles remain fun and rewarding to drive as we move closer to more autonomous driving over the next 10 years.”