Jaguar Future-Type is a glimpse of the driverless cars coming in 2040

Jaguar has unveiled the Future-Type, a space-age concept vehicle that showcases what driverless vehicles might look like in the year 2040.

It’s an absolute certainty that driverless cars will be widespread on our roads in the future. That’s why auto makers across the world are scrambling to prepare for an age when people might be ferried around in on-demand cars, rather than owning and driving their own vehicle.

To give us a better look at what that might look like, Jaguar has debuted the Future-Type. It’s a seriously quirky concept vehicle that showcases what might be possible in the car industry in as soon as two or three decades.

Check it out:

Speaking about the Future-Type debut, Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar, said: “Future-Type offers an insight into the potential for driving and car ownership in the future. It’s part of our vision for how a luxury car brand could continue to be desirable, in a more digital and autonomous age.”

He went on: “Our Future-Type Concept is an advanced research project looking at how we can ensure an on-demand Jaguar will appeal to customers in 2040 and beyond. Whether it’s commuting to work, autonomously collecting children from school or enjoying driving yourself on the weekend in the countryside, if there’s a choice of on-demand cars driving around city streets, we need to ensure customers desire our 24/7 service over our competitors.”

Jaguar says that the heart of the concept lies in the “world’s first intelligent and connected steering wheel”. This wheel is supposed to live in your home and become your “trusted companion”. The steering wheel will feature a built-in AI called “Sayer”, and is assumedly a rival to something like Apple’s Siri or the Amazon Alexa digital assistant.

The car maker says that Sayer will be able to summon your car, play music, book you a table at a restaurant, and even tell you what’s in your fridge.

Having access to Sayer also means you’re part of Jaguar’s on-demand service club. This club offers either sole ownership of a Jaguar, or the option of sharing the car with others in your community. This means you only need to fully own the steering wheel, rather than the car itself.

“In a future age of on-demand services and car sharing, our research shows there will still be a place for luxury and premium experiences – and enjoying the drive,” said Callum.

He added: “People will still want to travel in style and comfort, while the growth of car sharing actually increases the opportunity for people to experience what a Jaguar has to offer, even if they choose not to own one.”

The car firm uses the following example: “Need to be at a meeting two hours away from home by 8am tomorrow? Simply ask Sayer from the comfort of your living room and it will work out when you get up, when a car needs to autonomously arrive at your door, and even advise which parts of the journey you might enjoy driving yourself.”

You’ll be able to summon cars with social seating, where passengers face each other while the car drives itself. The car will even speak to other vehicles on the road, ensuring maximum safety at all times.

Unfortunately, this future is likely a very long way off, so don’t get too excited just yet. Instead, peruse the following images and start thinking up inane questions to probe Sayer with in the distant future:

Related: Range Rover Velar

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