Land Rover Defender could become a life-size remote-control car

By Stephen Edelstein Published September 27, 2019

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Land Rover transformed its legendary Defender from a primitive tool into a truly modern vehicle brimming with tech, but the automaker may not have revealed everything. The Land Rover Defender could get remote-control tech that will allow for low-speed driving from outside the car, reports British magazine Autocar.

The new Defender is “capable of being able to do that in terms of its architecture,” Stuart Frith, the Defender’s chief product engineer, said in an interview with Autocar. He said Land Rover has “run prototypes” of the system, which would be used for off-road driving.

Recommended Videos

Why would remote control be useful off-road? It would allow the driver to get out of the vehicle and find the best path over obstacles, as well as check clearance around the vehicle. That’s why drivers bring a spotter along when off-roading. This tech could let drivers become their own spotters. Autocar reports that remote control would act as an extension of the Defender’s 3D Scout system, which shows a virtual image of the vehicle to help the driver get oriented. Land Rover’s wearable Active Key would be used to ensure the driver remains near the vehicle, according to Autocar.

Land Rover demonstrated this tech in 2015, using a smartphone to remote control a Range Rover Sport on an off-road course. Tesla currently offers Smart Summon, which allows cars to drive in and out of parking spaces with no one onboard. But getting a remote-control system to work reliably off-road could be challenging, given the amount of variables presented by the terrain. Autocar noted that regulations may hold up the launch of Land Rover’s remote-control tech, but the automaker may be able to get around that by restricting use to off-road courses.

Even if remote control doesn’t make it to production, the new Defender will be much more sophisticated than the original, which was designed decades before the current automotive tech revolution. Even entry-level models will get a 10.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and unlimited music streaming will be available. Land Rover will offer a variety of driver aids for both on-road and off-road use, including the Terrain Response system that works so well in the automaker’s other models.

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Eaton, Treehouse to boost home capacity for EV charging, energy storage

eaton treehouse ev charging news releases

Power-management firm Eaton likes to point out that when it launched in 1911, it invested in a new idea -- the very first gear-driven truck axle -- just at a time when both transportation and power management were on the cusp of dramatic change.
More than 113 years later, Eaton is again seeking to lead innovation in the current energy transition.
The power-management firm just signed a deal with Treehouse, an AI, software-enabled installation platform for electrification projects. The end goal: accelerating the electrification of homes for electric-vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, or heat pumps, while seeking more efficiency and cost savings.
“At Eaton, we’re all-in on the energy transition and we’re making it happen at scale by delivering breakout technologies and industry collaborations needed to delight customers and make it more accessible and affordable,” says Paul Ryan, general manager of Connected Solutions and EV Charging at Eaton.
The partnership will ensure consumers are provided with accurate and fast pricing, as well as access to licensed electricians to deliver code-compliant installations, the companies say.
The collaboration also integrates into Eaton’s “Home as a Grid” approach, which supports the two-way flow of electricity, enabling homeowners to produce and consume renewable energy when they need it, Eaton says.
“For more than a century, power has flowed in one direction—from centralized power plants into homes,” the company says. “Today, there’s a new reality thanks to solar, electric-vehicle charging, energy storage, digitalization, and more.”
Projects to change homes and EVs into energy hubs have multiplied recently.
Last month, Nissan joined ChargeScape, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) venture that is already backed by BMW, Ford, and Honda. ChargeScape’s software wirelessly connects EVs to power grids and utility companies, enabling consumers to receive financial incentives for temporarily pausing charging during periods of high demand. Eventually, consumers should also be able to sell the energy stored in their EVs’ battery back to the power grid.
In August, GM announced that V2G technology will become standard in all its model year 2026 models. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla could introduce V2G technology for its vehicles in 2025.

Cars

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and EVs offer big incentives as year nears its end

chrysler dodge jeep ev incentives record my24 hybrid gallery 04 exterior desktop jpg image 1440

It’s no secret that automakers and dealerships typically climb over each other to offer the best incentives before the year ends. But this year’s sales season is expected to be particularly competitive, with slowing sales translating to greater urgency to clear inventory.

According to research from Kelley Blue Book, the respected vehicle-valuation firm, overall incentives on new vehicle sales were up by 60% in October compared to the previous year.

Cars

Jeep, Ram EREVs will get 690-mile range with new Stellantis platform

A 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger sits in a vineyard.

Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).

Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.