Jeep is embracing the numerous changes happening across the auto industry today. The automaker will unveil four new electric vehicles for North America by 2025 while not forgetting its core customer base in this emerging era. Technological advancements could significantly improve the rugged, go-anywhere capability of the brand’s vehicles, with Jeep teasing its automated off-road driving feature in a new first-look video.
Jeep outfitted two electrified Grand Cherokee 4xe SUVs with the new technology, which is being exclusively developed for the off-road brand. The frustratingly short video captured the two SUVs navigating various trails in Moab, Utah, including soft sand and slippery rock faces. However, it didn’t look too treacherous. One brief shot showed the driverless cabin, with the Jeep jostling around as it drove up the trail, the steering wheel spinning as the computer plotted a safe course.
The automaker says the tech will be helpful to both seasoned off-roaders and novice adventurers, allowing more customers “around the world join and enjoy the adventure,” according to Christian Meunier, Jeep’s CEO. He added that the tech “will have real-life applications on and off the trail in a wide range of driving conditions.”
This isn’t the first time Jeep has talked about automated off-road driving. Nearly two years ago, the brand hinted at the technology and features being possible by 2030, suggesting that the vehicle could follow one unique path while the driver and passengers hiked another. It also teased biometric recognition and drone-pairing technology.
Fully self-driving vehicles that allow passengers to be completely distracted from the road are still years away, and advancements like Jeep’s off-road technology should only help push the industry forward. Stellantis, which owns the Jeep brand, acquired AiMotive late last year to accelerate the development of its automated driving systems.
We’ll see more of Jeep’s new technology in the coming months. The company said it would release a full video showcasing “the future generation” of the technology later this summer, which begins in less than a month. It looks pretty promising and fun but is likely a few years away from becoming a production reality.
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