[SS-Traveller]

As far as 4x4 technology is concerned, Land Rover comes up with some path-breaking innovations.

First revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, Land Rover's Transparent Bonnet Concept, Wade Aid SONAR based water depth sensing system and Remote Control Driving App with self-driving features are designed to make off-roading easy for the driver, without using external inputs such as from spotters.

Of these new technologies, the one that has made it as a feature in current production vehicles is Wade-Aid or Wade Sensing Technology.

Land Rover continues to set the standard when it comes to 4x4ing technology and on the latest Discovery offers Wade Sensing, an innovative system which uses sensors in the mirror housings to determine the depth of water. Coupled to both an interior display screen, and audible warnings, it takes the guesswork out of river crossings, and limits the risk of damage associated with exceeding a vehicle's maximum wading depth. Driving through water obstacles will never be the same again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apMqFZKMftQ

One more video at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/4WDHandbook...type=2&theater

With a wading depth of 900 mm (35.4"), the Land Rover can out-wade most other off-roaders out there, but 3 feet of water is something many of us city dwellers in India have encountered during the monsoon season. Wade Aid would be a great guide to tell the driver whether the car can make it through or not.

Only a couple of issues come to mind:
1. What is the likelihood of losing those mirrors in India's chaotic traffic?
2. Will the system store data about the depth of water forded, and let LR disallow warranty claims related to water damage?

[Rehaan]

Oh man, why is it that i always have something bad (ie. realistic) to say on these LandRover Concept threads

The fact is that this is really nothing more than a digital readout for what you can see out of your window. It can not check the water/depth level ahead of the car either. It just tells you how deep you currently are.

It's pretty much the digital version of this, which is still cool, but perhaps not as cool as we'd have hoped:

source

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

1. What is the likelihood of losing those mirrors in India's chaotic traffic?

Would be more useful if it could detect approaching motorcyclists in traffic jams, and when they're at a 0.5 meter distance - autofold the mirrors!

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

2. Will the system store data about the depth of water forded, and let LR disallow warranty claims related to water damage?

Hahaha. Good one. The same way cell-phone manufacturers put those little strips in their phone that change colour when they make contact with water!

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Such aids should be available as a heads up display. You don't want to take your eyes off the road / water crossing to check the monitor screen.

[Jaggu]

It gives audible warnings and that helps to focus on the driving, display anyway is graphical representation of how the vehicle is placed. It can also display the actual external view, which is very cool for offroad drives, while negotiating tight stuff without a co-driver or spotter. I think with a bit of use one gets comfy and soon dependent on them; these tools really helps the driver to take a safe and clean line into and out of the obstacles.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

The fact is that this is really nothing more than a digital readout for what you can see out of your window. It can not check the water/depth level ahead of the car either. It just tells you how deep you currently are.

This doesn't help much I tell you. I landed myself in a situation, where water would have come to my shoulder level, would have jammed the doors, one couldn't open the windows had I been in a car. Thankfully, I was in a SUV, depth being camouflaged by concrete road as well as this being a railway underpass, water got collected in the middle. And it was dark.

If LR could gauge the water level/depth, then

[Sutripta]

I think we are missing something here. Am sure LR would not go to the trouble of implementing something this useless.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

I think we are missing something here. Am sure LR would not go to the trouble of implementing something this useless.

I certainly hope so. From Rehan's & Sheel's posts it does appear that this is not something novel or particularly useful.

I've never driven/owned(I'm poor!) an LR, but the technology (from SST's write-up) maybe a spin-off on the standard echo-sounder accessory familiar to all mariners. But this is a bit more useful in that the sonar echo has a wider target cone (covering some distance ahead of the vessel underway) thus giving some early warning of the depth ahead of the vessel. Of course one accepts that this is for a vessel that is afloat, not for a vehicle that is already crawling along the bottom of the water body!

[asivan]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

The fact is that this is really nothing more than a digital readout for what you can see out of your window. It can not check the water/depth level ahead of the car either. It just tells you how deep you currently are.

Rehaan, I guess you got it wrong there mate.

http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com/...ies_ny_150414/

According to this article, wade aid is supposed to help the drivers gauge the depth of the water in front of the car and not where the car is currently. It clearly mentions that infrared sensors are being used to gauge the depth of the surface ahead of the wheels.

Certainly seems to be really helpful for off road enthusiasts if this is the case

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by asivan

According to this article, wade aid is supposed to help the drivers gauge the depth of the water in front of the car and not where the car is currently. It clearly mentions that infrared sensors are being used to gauge the depth of the surface ahead of the wheels.

The PR talk about the "concept" might claim a lot of things, but this certainly isn't the case for the real-world demo.

If I'm not mistaken, the video (or some other link in this thread) mentioned UltraSonic sensors below the wing mirrors. Now, this basically means it's not measuring the depth of the water, but rather the distance between the top of the water and the mirror. (A lot of car fuel tanks have ultrasonic sensors in them, for measuring fuel level in exactly the same way).

The distance between the mirror to the ground is a known constant. So that distance, minus the sensor-measured distance = current water depth.

What they dream the concept can do, is another thing altogether.


Anyway, I'm sure most of the men will still do it the analog way

source

[asivan]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

What they dream the concept can do, is another thing altogether.


Anyway, I'm sure most of the men will still do it the analog way
Attachment 1425362
source

Analog ways sure are the best sometimes

But, the video attached to the post is more than an year old and as per the article, Wade-Aid takes Wade Sensing tech further. One is just a development of the other. And the video is of Wade Sensing and not of Wade aid.

Anyway, I'm sure if they're confident enough of announcing a tech as a concept, then it will filter down to the vehicles in the near future in some form or the other. Of course, I may be wrong, and they may scrap the whole project completely. Lets hope for the best!