Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark confirms that the British marque's first EV will have a hands-free feature.
Bentley is preparing to unveil its electric vehicle (EV) in 2025 as part of its goal to become a fully electric brand by 2030. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark has confirmed to Autocar that the upcoming EV will come equipped with hands-free driving capabilities, offering a glimpse into Bentley's future vision of autonomous driving.
According to Hallmark, the first Bentley EV will have “partial” hands-off driving functionality on highways and automated parking capabilities. However, this will be developed into autonomous driving capabilities in subsequent models.
This is in contrast to the automaker's stand a few years ago, with Dr. Matthias Rabe – a member of the board for engineering and the man piloting Bentley into the EV era – saying that the brand is not pursuing autonomous driving.
Bentley's EV will utilize Mobileye's SuperVision technology to enable hands-free and eyes-off driving on motorways. This advanced system incorporates 11 cameras, Mobileye's EyeQ5 chip, and crowd-sourced high-definition maps. Using these tools, level 3 autonomous driving can be achieved, allowing drivers to relinquish control and enjoy a more relaxed driving experience.
However, there are some caveats when it comes to schedule. The development of the 1.2 software within the VW Group has presented some challenges, though the company is actively addressing the issues.
Peter Bosch, the former Bentley manufacturing head, has been appointed as the head of the Cariad software unit. With Bosch at the helm, final approval for the 1.2 software -tailored specifically for the Bentley EV, Porsche Macan EV, and Audi Q6 e-tron – is expected.
The Bentley EV will be built on the new Performance Platform Electric (PPE), developed by the VW Group. Hallmark previously claimed that this platform would enable the EV to produce up to 1,400 horsepower and a 1.5-second 0-60 mph time.
However, the PPE will only be an intermediary step to the new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), which VW Group CEO Oliver Blume recently claimed can produce up to 1,700 hp.
The exact design of Bentley's electric car remains under wraps, but there are indications that it may take the form of a four-seater coupe, a la Continental GT. The EXP 100 GT concept, revealed in 2019, offers a preview into the direction the brand may take with its electric models. As previously reported, it might also come in the form of an SUV.
Keyword: Bentley Backtracks On Its Harsh Autonomous Driving Stance