This SUV has dual sim connectivity, just like your smartphone

The Land Rover Defender family showcased its 21st century dual-eSIM connectivity at CES 2020 in Las Vegas. The new Defender is the first vehicle with two embedded LTE modems for enhanced connectivity, while Jaguar Land Rover’s new Pivi Pro touchscreen infotainment shares electronic hardware with the latest smartphones.

With its own designated LTE modem and eSIM, the SOTA technology can operate in the background, without affecting the day-to-day connectivity provided by the separate modem and eSIM in the infotainment module.

The LTE connectivity behind Jaguar Land Rover’s infotainment also allows New Defender to roam across multiple networks in different regions to optimise connectivity, so customers suffer minimal interruptions caused by coverage blackspots from individual providers. In addition, the cloud-based architecture provided by CloudCar makes it easy to access and use content and services on the move and will even support in-car parking payments when New Defender hits UK streets this spring.

“With one LTE modem and eSIM dedicated to the Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) technology and the same set-up looking after music streaming and apps, New Defender has the digital capacity to keep customers connected, updated and entertained at all times anywhere in the world. You could liken the design to a brain, with each half enjoying its own connection for unrivalled and uninterrupted service. Like the brain, one side of the system looks after logical functions, like SOTA, while the other takes care of more creative tasks," said Peter Virk, Director of Connected Car and Future Technology at Jaguar Land Rover.

The new infotainment system Pivi Pro set-up sits at the heart of the Land Rover Defender’s cabin. It comes with a 10-inch high-resolution touchscreen that allows drivers to control all aspects of the vehicle. In addition, the user can connect two mobile devices to the infotainment head unit at once using Bluetooth, so the driver and passenger can enjoy hands-free functionality without the need to swap connections.

The Pivi Pro system also allows users to make full use of Defender’s Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) technology, without compromising its ability to stream music and connect to apps on the move.

Powering the Defender’s Pivi Pro infotainment and Vehicle Domain Controller are two high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 820Am Automotive Platforms, each with an integrated Snapdragon X12 LTE modem. Two X12 LTE modems provide parallel high-bandwidth downlink and uplink connectivity across multiple networks, ultra-fast connectivity and lower latency for communications. It also features an integrated global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and automotive dead reckoning, increasing the vehicle’s capability to accurately keep track of its location and position.

The Pivi Pro has its own battery, so the system is always on and able to respond immediately on start-up. As a result, the navigation is ready to accept new destinations the moment the driver sits in the vehicle, with no delay. Customers can also download updates, so the system is always using the latest software – including navigation mapping data – without the need to visit retailers for updates to be installed.

The new Defender is priced from 45,240 pounds (around ₹41.5 lakh) in the United Kingdom. The SUV is also set to be launched for the Indian market later this year.