Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has just announced the newest version of the Range Rover Evoque, the company’s stout little SUV first unveiled in 2010. For the most part, the new 2020 Evoque features the kinds of upgrades you’d expect from a yearly refresh. But one new optional feature sticks out: the rear view mirror, which doubles as a screen for a backup camera.
The “ClearSight Rear View Mirror,” as JLR calls it, changes at the flip of a switch between an actual rear view mirror to an HD display that shows off an unobstructed 50-degree view of what’s behind the car:
Car companies have increasingly toyed with the idea of augmenting (or in some cases, replacing) mirrors with cameras and screens. In this case, JLR has taken what has so far been a mostly aftermarket solution and decided to build it right into the car. And unlike side view mirror cameras, which are still not totally allowed in the United States, JLR plans to ship the Evoque with the new hybrid mirror in both in the US and in Europe.
The new Evoque is also JLR’s first mild hybrid car, meaning there’s a small 48-volt battery connected to the powertrain that gives a 50-horsepower boost to the four-cylinder engine, and only gets recharged by the motion of driving. (The company has offered a number of plug-in hybrids.) The battery captures energy as the car brakes, and then redeploys it as the car accelerates, which helps make driving more efficient in stop-and-start situations.
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JLR says the new Evoque is also the first of the company’s cars to use “artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s preferences” and then automate “comfort and media settings.”
Otherwise, the Evoque is a pretty standard modern JLR car. It has both CarPlay and Android Auto, and features JLR’s dual-screen InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system (as an option). It can receive over-the-air software updates, has a companion smartphone app, and there are six USB slots throughout the cabin. Pricing and other details will be announced in February at the Chicago Auto Show.
This article is from The Verge
