Jaguar Land Rover is the latest automaker to unveil an electric and “autonomy ready” shuttle pod designed for shared use in urban settings. “Project Vector” is just a concept, but hopes to have some version of the vehicle on the road for testing by 2021.
The concept has a driver’s seat and traditional controls for human use. But the vehicle is built to conform to future use cases in which autonomous vehicles are more prominent. The vehicle has been created by Jaguar Land Rover, the company that owns the Jaguar and Land Rover car brands. It has a wide interior cabin space, allowing it to be used for a variety of purposes including private or shared use, as well as commercial deliveries.
For now, the automaker is keeping most of its specs under wraps. The vehicle is four meters long, with a motor and battery pack built into a flat floor, but JLR won’t reveal the size of the battery or the range of the vehicle. The interior can be adjusted for private or shared use as well as for last-mile delivery service
The vehicle was developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre, which is a joint venture between the University of Warwick, JLR, and its parent company Tata Motor. JLR said it plans to collaborate with local authorities in Coventry to plan a mobility service from late 2021.
