Jaguar I-Pace Becomes a New Testbed for Waymo Autonomous Technology
I-Pace-based fifth-gen Waymo Driver includes a new sensor suite with 360-degree lidar & long-range cameras for improved sight.
The I-Pace is an accomplishment for Jaguar. The first-ever full-electric cat positions the company on the path towards electrification of its lineup. It also garnered over 60 international awards since its 2018 introduction. Its heart comes from Formula E, its style the antithesis of Tesla.
In the New ’20s, though, the I-Pace takes up a new role. According to CNBC, former Alphabet subsidiary Waymo is using the electric Jaguar as the platform for its fifth-gen Waymo Driver.
Jaguar Plays “I Spy”
“Over the past few months, people have begun to notice more of our latest Waymo Driver cruising in the San Francisco Bay Area, especially since our all-electric Jaguar I-Paces look a little different thanks to our latest hardware sensor suite,” said Waymo hardware chief Satish Jeyachandran.
The I-Pace joins the Chrysler Pacifica as Waymo’s testbed for autonomous driving. In its latest role, the Jaguar is equipped with the company’s fifth-gen sensor suite. The suite includes 360-degree lidar and a full set of overlapping long-range cameras.
“Informed by 20 million self-driven miles on public roads and over 10 billion miles of simulation, engineered to tackle an even more diverse range of complex driving environments with unparalleled capabilities, our completely redesigned fifth-generation hardware sensor suite will enable the scaled deployment of the Waymo Driver,” said Jeyachandran.
The I-Pace’s lidar creates a 3D image of all it sees up to nearly 1,000 feet away. The view includes every vehicle and person around the electric crossover, plus road debris and open car doors.
Overlapping cameras offer “high-dynamic range and thermal stability over automotive temperature ranges” to the I-Pace up to 1,620 feet away. Combined with the company’s first-ever imaging radar system, the Waymo Driver can navigate safely without input from the driver.
The I-Pace’s arrival comes on the heels of Waymo raising $2.25 billion, according to CNBC. The company entered the autonomous taxi business in the fall of 2019, though only available in Chandler, Arizona. Meanwhile, I-10 between Arizona and Texas will see Waymo’s autonomous semis deliver tons of goods to customers. We’ll take the Jaguar, though.
Photos: Waymo
