Land Rover is developing a remote control function for the all-new Defender that will allow owners to operate the vehicle remotely in certain off-road scenarios, Autocar reports.
According to Land Rover chief product engineer Stuart Frith, the British company has run prototype tests of the system, confirming that the new architecture underpinning the Defender allows for such technologies.
The British car manufacturer will introduce the remote control function as an extension of the existing 3D Scout system that provides a virtual image of the car from a distance and requires the vehicle’s wearable Activity Key to confirm the driver is nearby and in control of the off-roader.
Also Watch: Richard Hammond Loves The Defender, So He Got To Sample The 2020 Model First
It remains to be seen when Land Rover could introduce such a system, as it would likely need to wait for regulatory approval first. However, there are other vehicles on the market that offer remote-controlled parking functions for quite some time now, and providing remote control for an off-roader isn’t all that different.
Another interesting piece of tech being considered by Land Rover is a system allowing Defender owners to live-stream off-roading footage to the cloud.
The 2020 Defender celebrated its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will initially be sold in 90 and 110 variants. Buyers in the United States will have two engines to choose from: a P300 turbocharged four-cylinder with 296 hp and a 3.0-liter inline-six petrol mated to a 48-volt electric supercharger that delivers 395 hp and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. Deliveries are set to commence next year.
![](https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content/themes/carscoops/assets/images/icons/arrow.png"){kind=icon}