You could soon be picked up by a driverless Jaguar I-Pace at the touch of a button, as the British car manufacturer is teaming up with American firm Waymo to build up to 20,000 autonomous units of the electric SUV.
The Google-owned company has developed an autonomous system that will be fitted to the I-Pace, joining its development fleet before the company launches a driverless ride-hailing service later this year.
Waymo, which was founded in 2009 and was originally known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, claims to be the only transport company to have a fleet made up entirely of autonomous vehicles.
Ralf Speth, chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “With the Jaguar I-Pace we have a world-beating car that’s captured the imagination of customers around the world. Our passion for further advancing smart mobility needs expert long-term partners.
Introducing the world’s first premium electric self-driving vehicle – the Waymo @Jaguar Self-Driving I-PACE. pic.twitter.com/BKhofAAahV
— Waymo (@Waymo) March 27, 2018
“In joining forces with Waymo we are pioneering to push the boundaries of technology. Together we will deliver the self-driving Waymo Jaguar I-Pace with the grace, space and eco-pace that customers expect.”
John Krafcik, chief executive of Waymo, said: “While we’ve been focused at Waymo on building the world’s most experienced driver, the team at Jaguar Land Rover has developed an all-new battery-electric platform that looks to set a new standard in safety, design and capability. We’re sure Waymo riders will enjoy the safe, premium and delightful experience that the self-driving I-Pace will provide.”
This isn’t the first time Jaguar Land Rover has been involved in autonomous vehicle testing. Last year, the British firm began testing a number of cars fitted with driverless technology in its home city of Coventry – a first in the UK.