Range Rover upgrades 2017 models with autonomous driving and futuristic safety features

Land Rover is fully embracing motoring's technological revolution by announcing it will kit out its new Range Rover models with semi-autonomous driving features and cutting-edge safety technology.

The new line-up of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models, set to roll off the production line in 2017, will go heavy with tech features such as the ability to automatically brake in emergency situations and constantly monitor the condition of the driver to make sure they aren't falling asleep at the wheel.

Autonomous Emergency Braking for the first time features sensors which constantly check the exterior of the vehicle, giving the driver an audible alert if there's a chance of a collision. If the driver doesn't act in time, the car will step on the brakes for them. Not only a pivotal upgrade for safety but also a rather brow-mopping feature, particularly for protecting something like the Range Rover SV Autobiography Dynamic which is priced from £133,000.

Another autonomous feature for the 2017 models look to make life easier for owners who struggle manoeuvring trailers. A self-driving feature called Tow Assist will steer the vehicle in the desired direction they want to put the trailer, using the car's rear camera and touchscreen infotainment display.

These semi-autonomous features will join a list of other smart driving aids including Traffic Sign Recognition and Intelligent Speed Limiter – which uses on-board cameras to spot speed limit signs and automatically slow the car down accordingly. Of course, drivers will have the option to turn this on or off.

Perhaps Land Rover's most impressive, if slightly Orwellian, safety feature is the Driver Condition Monitor, where the car continually analyses the driver to make sure they aren't nodding off behind the wheel. It will be aware to times of the day when tiredness may strike and will monitor movements on the steering wheel before warning the driver if it thinks you're getting tired.

The new models, which will be on sale from winter 2016, are priced from £59,700 for the 2.0-litre SD4 HSE Range Rover Sport, with the TDV6 Vogue from £76,350 and top-of-the-line Range Rover at £132,800.

The introduction of autonomous driving aids are moving at a pace with manufacturers announcing innovative new features on almost a daily basis. Jaguar, part of Land Rover, also showcased the future of driving to IBTimes UK at its UK headquarters where we experienced technology from off-road self-driving to automatic high-speed braking to vehicle-to-vehicle communication to warn of accidents ahead.

Elsewhere, Ford recently announced it is looking to roll-out driverless cars by 2021, while Uber also made a ground-breaking announcement that its self-driving taxi service will be on US roads within weeks.