Lots of autonomous driving technology is focused on keeping the driver, his passengers, and others out on the road safe. But the ability for a car to operate without a human behind the wheel has uses beyond making time in the car safer and more productive. What if you want to drive your car around in the mud---or through the mall parking lot---like a big remote-controlled toy?
That's why Land Rover has built a prototype vehicle that allows the driver to exit his SUV and control it with a smartphone app, up to 4 mph and from up to 30 feet away. Well, that's not actually why: The company says the feature would be an "invaluable aid" when fording a stream or driving in mud and snow.
It's not unlike that BMW 7-series that James Bond drove around from the backseat thanks to an Ericsson phone in Tomorrow Never Dies. Only the Range Rover doesn't have missiles or smoke grenades. Bond would still drive one, we suspect.
It may seem completely unnecessary, but there's a real practical aspect to it. When driving off-road, it's often a good idea to have a spotter, someone outside the car who can watch the wheels and make sure that the vehicle is safe while rolling over rocks and the like. But what to do if you're driving alone out on the trail, and you need an outside view? With this option, you can be both spotter and driver.
For more pedestrian purposes, the company says it could be be used to pull out of a parking spot if someone were to park too close (who would do such a thing?) for the driver to get in. That's good, since we all know Range Rovers are spend more time in the Neiman Marcus parking lot than on the Rubicon Trail.
This isn't the first time Land Rover has brought some fancy tech to off-roading. The company designed a "transparent" hood that uses cleverly located cameras and displays to virtually remove the hood on the Land Rover Discovery. The idea there is to make it easier for drivers to see where they're going, even with the massive front end of the Disco in their way.
And like that project, it's unclear if the remote control capability will ever make it to a production vehicle: There are clearly some practical and legal issues Land Rover would have to work through first.
One thing's for sure, if you tried to drive a Range Rover with a smartphone out on an off-road jamboree, the traditionalists would howl with laughter. Until you run them over, of course.
