Jaguar 1969 E-type 2+2 Coupe With 4 Speed Manual Gearbox on 2040-cars

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Jaguar Land Rover and Cambridge have developed a touchless touchscreen

Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Cambridge are working on new touchscreen technology that eliminates the need to touch the screen. Counterintuitive, right? It’s called “predictive touch” for now, in part because the system is able to predict what you might be aiming for on the screen.  The video at the top of this post is the best way to understand how users will interact with the tech, but weÂ’ll do some more explaining here. You simply reach out with your finger pointing toward the item on screen that you want to select. ItÂ’ll highlight the item and then select it. HereÂ’s how it works, according to the University of Cambridge: “The technology uses machine intelligence to determine the item the user intends to select on the screen early in the pointing task, speeding up the interaction. It uses a gesture tracker, including vision-based or radio frequency-based sensors, which are increasingly common in consumer electronics; contextual information such as user profile, interface design, environmental conditions; and data available from other sensors, such as an eye-gaze tracker, to infer the userÂ’s intent in real time.” Cambridge claims that lab tests showed a 50 percent reduction in both effort and time by the driver in using the screen, which would theoretically translate to more time looking at the road and less time jabbing away at the screen. If the prediction and machine learning tech is good enough, we could see this resulting in a reduced number of accidental inputs. However, on a certain level it almost sounds more difficult to point at a screen while moving than it does to actually touch a section of that screen. Without using the tech and its supposedly great predictive abilities, we canÂ’t come to any grand conclusions. One comparison you may already be thinking of is BMWÂ’s Gesture Controls. ItÂ’s already been addressed with a subtle diss from Cambridge: “Our technology has numerous advantages over more basic mid-air interaction techniques or conventional gesture recognition, because it supports intuitive interactions with legacy interface designs and doesnÂ’t require any learning on the part of the user,” said Dr Bashar Ahmad of the University of Cambridge. Of course, this tech can be used for much more than just vehicle touchscreen control. Cambridge says it could be integrated into ATMs, airport check-in kiosks, grocery store self checkouts and more.

Jaguar flagship J-Pace crossover due in 2021

We've been talking about a Jaguar J-Pace crossover for four years. In 2016, the large luxury SUV version of the XJ sedan was expected to arrive this year and challenge the Audi Q8, BMW X7, and Mercedes GLS. More recent information from Autocar put the J-Pace's length at roughly 4.9 meters (193 inches), putting the English offering in a bracket with the Mercedes-Benz GLE and the Porsche Cayenne. Dynamics will be the priority, with the J-Pace intended to "beat the Porsche Cayenne at its own game." The Jaguar will supposedly do this with a novel hybrid powertrain arrangement on the launch vehicle. The new Ingenium turbocharged inline-six, expected to be the "mainstream" engine, will turn the front wheels, the rear axle turned by an electric motor. That setup will provide more interior room thanks to the lack of a center tunnel, as well as finer control of torque to the rear wheels for better bad-weather and soft-roading character. Autocar said electric and four-cylinder versions were possible although not confirmed. The magazine said traditional gasoline and diesel versions without the electric motor out back would likely come only in two-wheel drive. However, not only is the phrase "front-wheel drive Jaguar" a terrifically un-sexy string of words, but the Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform has supposedly been developed for rear-wheel- and all-wheel-drive cars. The Premium Transverse Architecture (PTA), an evolution of the aged D8 platform, supports the Range Rover Evoque, but all JLR products are planned to migrate to the MLA by 2025. The MLA will come in high-rise, mid-height, and low-rise versions. Products like the coming Range Rover and Defender will utilize the high-rise version. The J-Pace will use the mid-height MLA, along with the rumored Road Rover. The Jaguar F-Pace and Range Rover Velar take the low-rise PLA. These tiers would put a J-Pace roofline beneath the six-foot-two-inch-tall Range Rover and make for a sleeker appearance. Autocar also says that the J-Pace will have more luggage capacity than the Range Rover, quite the trick since the Jaguar won't be as tall and will be around six inches shorter. If it arrives in 2021, the shape could define the next stage in Jaguar design; the next-generation F-Pace has been predicted for 2022, so it could fall into line established by the big brother.

Jaguar XK to cease production this summer

With the introduction of the F-Type coupe and convertible, Jaguar has cleared room in its sports car lineup to drop the XK for new models. "There will be a 2015 model year XK, but the rumors are true, production for the XK will end later this year after eight years," said Wayne York Kung, Jaguar USA National Product Communications Manager, in an email to Autoblog. A replacement for the GT might be a very long way off.
The automaker told Auto Express that it's part of a "wider strategic vision and product planning cycle." Ending assembly will allow the feline luxury brand to build better-selling vehicles like the XE, its upcoming BMW 3 Series fighter. The new sedan is scheduled to go on sale in Europe in 2015 and in the US in 2016. It also needs to make room for the C-X17 crossover to be built, which is likely expected to sell better than a 2+2 GT car.
"There are no immediate plans to replace the XK," said Kung in his email. Jag was rumored to be considering moving a future generation of it upmarket. The new model would have been a bigger, softer grand tourer and allow the F-Type to be the brand's more hardcore sports car.