To learn more about the technology, its scope and availability, we spoke with Mark Carter, Navigation Product Owner, Digital Product Platforms, Jaguar Land Rover, and Chris Sheldrick, Co-Founder and CEO, What3Words.
After the reveal of the new Range Rover Sport, all new Land Rovers and Jaguar will come with what3words except the Jaguar F-Type (which has a different infotainment system). with existing customers PVI Pro The infotainment system (which will become available on select models during 2021) may be updated via SOTA, the company confirms.
What is What3words and how does it work?
The What3words database is stored on the vehicle, so you don’t need a phone connection to view it remotely. All you need is a GPS signal for your location. What3words address provides an easy way to communicate very precise locations. What3words maps the globe to a grid of 3m x 3m squares and assigns each square a unique combination of three random words, known as what3words addresses. Every front door, stadium entrance, beach view, and spot-on unmarked streets and tracks around the world have their own three-word address. For example, the Gateway of India can be found at https://holiday.surprises.design.
While the global automotive industry is adopting connected car technology, this technology goes against the flow by not using an active mobile connection. Can this method provide greater efficiency and privacy?
Connected car technology is great when you can guarantee a cellular connection, but the advantage of WhatsApp being available offline is that drivers are able to drive anywhere in the world with confidence, knowing where they are And where are you going? Whether it’s a remote off-road mountain adventure, or simply driving in an area with a poor data connection, Jaguar and Land Rover drivers can always use a What3words address.
What is the range of benefits provided by 3Words Address not only in personal mobility but also in other industries?
Errors in addressing result in taxis plying on neighboring roads, food delivery in the cold, navigation systems driving drivers to the wrong destination and customers wasting hours on the phone with couriers. All of these are costly for businesses, frustrating for customers and hinder innovation.
What3words solves these problems by providing an easy way to talk about precise places. They are far easier to remember than street addresses and postcodes, long alphanumeric strings, or GPS coordinates, and they are also easier to communicate accurately. We are making life easier, safer and less frustrating for consumers around the world and in every region.
The What3words address system is integrated into Jaguar and Land Rover Piwi Pro infotainment via HERE Technologies navigation software. “Over the years working with Jaguar Land Rover, we have gained from their innovative thinking and a deep understanding of technical requirements, which have enabled us to create industry-leading navigation solutions,” said Gino Ferru, General Manager EMEAR and Senior Vice President HERE said the President of Technologies.
It will be free to download for JLR customers with Pivi Pro in 150 countries and in 24 languages.