Jeep demonstrates self-driving off-road capability in Grand Cherokee using AI software and other tech
Jeep is taking its ‘freedom’ catch-cry to new levels by unleashing a pair of self-driving Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs on the off-road trails around Moab, Utah.
Some readers might be wondering why autonomous driving technology would even be required off-road, but according to Jeep CEO Christian Meunier, “these features and technology will have real-life applications on and off the trail in a wide range of driving conditions”.
Jeep reckons the self-driving tech will appeal to off-road veterans and novice bush-bashers alike, giving drivers who may be new to specific trails or nervous about them more confidence.
The pair of Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe models are packed with military-grade sensor hardware that feeds data to artificial intelligence (AI) software, enabling the SUVs to ‘see’ where they’re going.
While the video doesn’t show the usual hard-core off-road antics most trail-rated Jeeps get up to, the cars can be seen with and without drivers tackling rocky ascents and sandy trails, the steering wheel eerily rotating by itself.
There’s also a brief shot of a tablet controlling one of the vehicles remotely. It shows a video feed of what the Jeep is ‘seeing’ and has rudimentary controls for intended vehicle speed and lateral angles, along with actual speed and angles.
In theory, owners could get out of their vehicles during tricky trail sections and walk around the vehicle while slowly controlling it up, over, around and through treacherous obstacles with a smartphone.
Jeep says it will reveal more footage and details of the testing and development of its new autonomous off-road driving systems in the next couple of months, but as it stands the tech looks promising.
“It’s our first time testing these off-road autonomy features in Moab,” explained Neda Cvijetic, head of AI and autonomous driving at Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company.
“And we are tackling these challenges that are in some senses greater than what you experience in on-road autonomy and that for any engineer makes your heart skip a beat.”
Jeep has been working on autonomous off-road capability for several years, and in mid-2021 revealed an electric Jeep Wrangler concept that featured driverless tech, allowing occupants to lie flat in the back and stargaze while the silent mud-plugger slowly crept through the wilderness.
It also proposed another use for autonomous off-road driving, where owners could hike point to point then be met by their vehicle at the end of the hike with supplies and camping gear.
Jeep isn’t the only SUV-exclusive brand seeking to develop and eventually deploy autonomous driving systems, with Land Rover investing significant time and resource into self-driving technology.
The British brand has teamed up with the one of the world’s leading automotive GPU suppliers, Nvidia, to fast-track its autonomous vehicle program.
Audi has also previously expressed interest in AI-powered off-road vehicles via the Audi AI:Trail concept from 2019.
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Keyword: WATCH: Jeep Grand Cherokee autonomous off-road driving