Four Citroën C4 Picasso demonstrators equipped with autonomous driving features have travelled 60,000 km in "hands off" mode* on European roads.

Four Citroën C4 Picasso demonstrators equipped with autonomous driving features have already travelled 60,000 km in "hands off" mode* on express roads in Europe since testing began in mid-2015.

The priority objectives of these tests is to fine-tune the various operating safety aspects of the systems and detect any potentially hazardous situations in relation to infrastructure and other road users.

Data from the different test environments have helped improve driving algorithms and on-board intelligence to ensure that the Group's self-driving cars are safe on the road. As a result, the autonomous driving system has achieved a high level of reliability in all situations.

At the same time, the PSA Group has expanded its work on operating safety with the System-X and Vedecom research institutes. It is also working with the CTAG automotive technology centre of Galicia in Spain to validate interactions between drivers and self-driving cars. 

A total of ten self-driving cars developed by the PSA Group are being tested internally or by various Group partners. New requests for authorisation have been filed to broaden the number of trials on the open road and ensure that autonomous vehicles react appropriately in all circumstances.

In the next few weeks, the PSA Group will begin new "eyes off" experiments with non-expert drivers under the supervision of test engineers to assess safety in real-life conditions.

As from 2018, the PSA Group will offer driver-monitored automated driving features and, as from 2020, will introduce completely autonomous driving features enabling the driver to give the car full control.

*There are five levels to which autonomous vehicles can be automated: "hands on", "hands off", "eyes off", "mind off", and "driverless".

Jaguar dealers in the UK take delivery of the first cars.

• Jaguar UK dealers are first in the world to take delivery of F-TYPE demonstrators
• 59 new F-TYPEs depart Ricoh arena in Coventry amassing a total of 7,141 miles before reaching respective Jaguar UK dealerships
• The 1.5-mile long F-TYPE procession, worth a total of £4.7m, circled the Coventry ring road before dissipating
• Event reminiscent of “Drive Away” event conducted with the E-type in Coventry in 1961.

IN DETAIL


On April 19th 2013 The first Jaguar F-TYPE sports cars arrived in dealerships having been presented to an enthusiastic dealer network following a ceremonial handover at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The Jaguar UK dealers are the first in the world to take delivery of their F-TYPE demonstrators and to mark the occasion 59 of their vehicles were arranged in a giant “F” in the car park of the Coventry landmark before embarking on a 1.5-mile long procession around the Coventry ring road. The F-TYPE convoy was lead by the spiritual predecessor to Jaguar’s new sports car − the last example of the iconic E-type ever produced.

THE STATISTICS

The £4.7m procession comprised 60 cars and produced a combined total of 23,560 PS. By the time the F-TYPE demonstrators reach their respective dealerships they will have amassed a total of 7,141 miles. The nearest dealer, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Coventry, had a mere 3.5 miles to travel, while Peter Vardy Jaguar, based in Aberdeen, had 440 miles to cover.

The event is not without precedent – in 1961 Jaguar staged a similar dealer delivery event at Browns Lane in Coventry, with 60 Jaguar E-type sports cars. Robin Sturgess, whose son Chris is now dealer principal at Sturgess Jaguar of Leicester (recently named Motor Codes Franchise Dealer of the Year), was present at the 1961 event and took his place in the Jaguar E-type at the head of today’s historic convoy. The grandson of Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons, Michael Quinn, was also in attendance on behalf of RA Creamer Jaguar, Kensington.