The future of transportation isn't known, but Jaguar envisions one in which consumers don't own a car but simply a sliver of one: the steering wheel. The British luxury marque has revealed its futuristic steering wheel concept, which it calls "Sayer."
Sayer is a personal companion and resides with you at all times. It is a voice-activated artificial intelligence (AI) steering wheel that can carry out hundreds of tasks such as calling upon the owner's vehicle of choice and ensuring it's ready for the passenger at an exact time. It can even work out your schedule for you, telling you when you need to get up and when a car needs to arrive for a specific meeting.
Jaguar says technology like Sayer could signal membership to an on-demand club of Jaguar vehicles. It envisions sole ownership of a vehicle or car sharing with others in the club's community. Sayer grants access to either option.
Not only could Sayer call a self-driving vehicle and have it ready at a specific time, but during the drive Sayer could provide a notification for when the passenger may like to take control of the car manually.
Additional details surrounding Sayer, which is named after Jaguar's former and iconic designer Malcolm Sayer, haven't been revealed, but the brand will debut the technology alongside a new concept car called Future-Type at Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest on September 7. The Future-Type concept promises to explore what mobility in 2040 could look like.
Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest takes place at Central St Martins, University of the Arts in London, and is open to the public September 8-10. It will have interactive displays that demonstrate how technology is being used in the automotive world and how technology will shape the future of the automobile.