Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will provide a glimpse of its vision of the future of the luxury car sector later this week in London as it unveils Sayer, a voice-activated, artificially-intelligent steering wheel that could be used as part of a car-sharing club.
“The connected steering wheel could be the only part of the car you own,” said JLR ahead of the unveilingat its first-ever Tech Fest due to take place in central London, at which it will preview some of the latest technology options it is exploring. The steering wheel will be featured on a new concept vehicle that will make its debut at the exhibition.
Sayer, named after Malcolm Sayer, a prominent Jaguar designer in the 1950s and 1960s, would be the automaker’s latest contribution to its vision of an autonomous, connected and electric future for the sector. The company has also been testing other concepts, announcing earlier this year that it would be investing $25 million into the U.S. ride-sharing company, Lyft, to which it will supply a fleet of vehicles. In June, the company showcased a Range Rover Sport with prototype technology capable of operating autonomously through a city, in what it described as a move towards “level four” autonomy: vehicles capable of driving in specific environments without intervention.
‘On demand service’
“Imagine a future of autonomous, connected and electric cars where you don’t own a single car, but instead call upon the vehicle of our choice where and when you need it,” suggested JLR on Monday.
The wheel could be used as a virtual personal assistant, planning a journey and a person’s routine in advance and could be used either as part of an on-demand service that ensured people had access to a vehicle suitable to the journey they were to undertake or for a sole-owned car.