Cutting Edge Off-Roading Technology for next Range Rover

• Terrain-i system on new Range Rover
• Selects which off-road mode car should be in
• Tech could trickle down to other models

The next Range Rover will have ground-breaking off-road technology when it is launched at the end of 2012.

Called Terrain-i, the tech is a more sophisticated version of the company's Terrain Response system, which is fitted to all models. The new version uses a suite of electronic aids, so that drivers don't need to select which type of electronic off-road assistance is needed – the car 'looks ahead' at the terrain and does it for you.

Also on the new Range Rover will be a Wade Aid device, which uses sonar to measure water depth ahead to ensure that it is safe to traverse. It will also, if required, pre-select the correct speed and gear required to go through the water.

The Terrain-i system also uses cameras to look ahead and assess topography of the environment you are driving in. It decides whether the car is capable of negotiating the terrain and if not, the sat-nav reroutes you.

In time, this technology, or parts of it, will trickle down to other Land Rover models. However, the next all-new Range Rover is likely to have other technologies designed to improve its on-road performance.



Insiders claim it will be around 500kg lighter than the current model, mainly due to its aluminium construction and other weight-saving technologies. It will also be correspondingly superior to drive, and use less fuel than the current car.

Source: What Car?