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Forget simplifying! Lotus Eletre and Emeya EVs can now drive themselves

The new features are being added to the two luxury EVs via an over-the-air update

Lotus Eletre - front cornering

The all-electric Lotus Eletre and Lotus Emeya are getting a new performance-inspired soundtrack, autonomous driving capabilities and other additional functions thanks to an over-the-air update. 

These have been developed based on owners’ feedback and the ongoing development of the two luxury electric cars, with the British brand saying it’s part of a commitment to “continuously enhancing its products throughout their lifecycle in line with customer demand”.

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Probably the most noticeable addition to the Lotus EVs is the new Active Sound Design – a synthesised “performance-inspired organic” vehicle sound to complement the driving experience. We haven’t had a chance to hear what this immersive sound is, but it probably won’t sound like a Lotus Emira V6. 

Lotus has also added a customisable ‘Drive Setup’ function that allows drivers to quickly activate their preferences for the car and its driver-assistance functions with a single tap. Plus, there’s an improved insulation-fault monitoring system, enabling earlier detection of potential issues, earlier warnings and automatic system protection.

The Eletre SUV specifically has also benefited from an updated driver fatigue and distraction alert system that’s meant to emit fewer false alerts now. Meanwhile, in the Emeya GT, the auto-hold status is now visible to make it easier to see when it’s working in traffic.

What is Lotus ‘Hyper Pilot’?

As part of the update, Eletre customers in Germany are also gaining access to the ‘Lotus Hyper Pilot’ - a semi-automous driving system that combines lane centring, adaptive speed control and supervised overtaking assistance to help make long journeys easier.

It’s currently only designed for approved motorway routes on the Frankfurt–Stuttgart–Munich corridor, including sections of the A3, A5, A8 and A99 autobahns. We don’t yet know if or when it’ll be approved for UK roads. 

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Ellis Hyde, staff writer Auto Express
News reporter

As our news reporter, Ellis is responsible for covering everything new and exciting in the motoring world, from quirky quadricycles to luxury MPVs, hot hatches and supercars. He was previously the content editor for DrivingElectric and won the Newspress Automotive Journalist Rising Star award in 2022.

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