Jaguar Land Rover launch Project Vector urban mobility concept

Jaguar Land Rover introduced Project Vector, a new concept vehicle, Feb. 18 that the company says offers a vision of “an autonomous, electric, connected future for urban mobility.” 

The Project Vector concept is part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero mission, which aims to provide safer and healthier societies and a cleaner environment through products that deliver zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion.

“Through this project, we are collaborating with the brightest minds in academia, supply chain and digital services, to create connected, integrated mobility systems – the fundamental building blocks for Destination Zero,” said Prof. Sir Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover. “Project Vector is precisely the brave and innovative leap forward needed to deliver on our mission.”

The company describes Project Vector as “autonomy-ready” and the concept vehicle has been designed to allow for a variety of uses. The vehicle measures four meters long (13.12 feet) and has a flat floor where its battery and drivetrain components are housed. The interior can be configured for private or shared use and Jaguar Land Rover believes it has commercial applications, as well.

Jaguar Land Rover notes the megatrends of urbanization and digitalization make connected urban mobility systems necessary and inevitable. Shared and private vehicles will share spaces with and be connected to public transit networks, allowing people to travel on demand and autonomously. That is a complex task, best achieved by working together with partners across the spectrum of vehicles, infrastructure and the digital world.

The Project Vector concept was developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre at the University of Warwick in collaboration with academic and external Jaguar Land Rover partners. The company says the concept was created to raise the quality of future urban living and addresses the wider landscape of mobility, from how customers connect with mobility services to the infrastructure required to enable fully integrated, autonomous vehicles in cities.

“With the technology and engineering power of Jaguar Land Rover, we can provide a unique opportunity for innovators to develop highly-functional urban mobility services seamlessly integrated into everyday life,” said Dr. Tim Leverton, project director.

The company envisions future urban travel to be a composite of owned and shared vehicles, access to ride hailing and on-demand services, as well as public transport. Jaguar Land Rover’s Project Vector shows the vehicle as a flexible part of the urban mobility network that can be adapted for different purposes.

 “It’s also a unique opportunity – a concept platform designed and engineered around urban centric use cases by a major car maker as a blank canvas, for developing tailored services and apps in the ecosystem of a smart city,” said Prof. Dr. Gero Kempf, chief engineer.

A proof of concept demonstration is planned for service in late 2021 with collaboration from the Coventry City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority.