I've been involved in plenty of off-road excursions over the years. Depending on the type of terrain you're traversing, it's not uncommon to have to exit the vehicle repeatedly to check ground clearance, tire contact and so on.
Things progress much more quickly if you have a spotter outside to relay instructions while behind the wheel but wouldn't it be much more convenient if you could just drive the vehicle over an obstacle from outside?
With Land Rover's new prototype remote app, you can do just that.
The app relies on the same sensors that select Land Rover vehicles already use for autonomous parking. With it, drivers can essentially become their own spotters and control the vehicle from the outside with access to throttle, brake, steering and the transmission. Think of it as a giant RC car.
Naturally, there are plenty of safety features built in. For example, a remotely-controlled vehicle has a top speed of just four miles per hour. What's more, the paired smart device will only work within 10 yards of the vehicle so you won't want to venture off too far.
Practical applications aren't limited to those who travel off the beaten path. Such a feature could be immensely useful if you find someone has parked a bit too close to your vehicle in a parking lot, for example.
Unfortunately, Land Rover hasn't yet revealed when it'll ship remote-capable vehicles. For what it's worth, BMW plans to launch its remote-controlled 7 Series later this year which probably means the Land Rover variant isn't too far out.