Bentley’s first electric car to offer hands-free driving – report

Bentley is gearing up to enter the electric-car market in 2026, and brand CEO Adrian Hallmark has confirmed to British outlet Autocar that it will feature hands-free driving capability.

While initially offering "partial" hands-off driving on motorways and automated parking, Bentley plans to introduce increased autonomous driving capabilities in the future.

The upcoming EV will be built on the new Performance Platform Electric (PPE). According to Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume, the PPE electric platform will allow the car to generate up to 690kW of power.

Bentley's entry into the electric car market goes beyond a single vehicle. The British luxury brand has an ambitious plan to launch five new electric cars within a span of five years, starting with the unveiling of the first electric vehicle in 2025.

Audi has already previewed its PPE-based A6 E-Tron in concept form, and Lamborghini said to be working on a 2+2 grand tourer using the PPE platform.

It’s possible the Bentley will take the shape of a sleek four-seater GT rather than a traditional limousine, however. In 2019, Bentley revealed the EXP 100 GT concept (pictured above), providing a glimpse at what can be expected.

The EV will utilise Mobileye's SuperVision technology, which employs 11 cameras, Mobileye's EyeQ5 chip, and crowd-sourced high-definition maps. This advanced system enables level three autonomy, allowing drivers to enjoy hands-free and eyes-off driving on motorways.

The development of the 1.2 software within the Volkswagen Group has presented some challenges, leading to delays for Bentley's electric vehicle. However, the company is actively addressing these issues.

To ensure the smooth progress of software development, Peter Bosch, the former Bentley manufacturing head, has been appointed as the head of the Cariad software unit. With Bosch's expertise and leadership, final approval for the 1.2 software, tailored for premium cars within the Volkswagen Group, is expected.