Bear Grylls demos Land Rover's new seat fold tech

Having jumped from a plane with six members of the Royal Navy Parachute Display Team and freefalling at 200km/h, Bear was able to change the vehicle’s seating layout at the touch of a button on his smartphone before he had to deploy his parachute. Once on the ground all the skydivers were able to jump into a camouflaged prototype of the New Discovery, which comfortably seats seven full-sized adults.

The Intelligent Seat Fold technology allows the two rear rows of seats to be fully reconfigured in as little as 14 seconds via the InControl Remote app downloaded on any iOS or Android operating system. “The fact that owners can change the seating while doing things like queuing with their shopping is a true milestone in convenience delivered through technological innovation,” said Alex Heslop, Land Rover’s chief engineer for Discovery.

The Intelligent Seat Fold technology can be activated in four different ways, including the remote function tried and tested by Bear Grylls. Closer to the ground, switches within the luggage area and on the C-pillar allow the seats to be moved or folded while standing beside the vehicle. Row two and three seats can also be raised and lowered using the main touchscreen display on the dashboard.

Land Rover’s InControl Remote app allows customers using both iOS and Android smartphones to connect with New Discovery from anywhere in the world, making it possible to perform a variety of functions – from confirming all the windows are closed or checking the fuel level to setting the air conditioning or monitoring its location.

The New Discovery, featuring Intelligent Seat Fold technology, will make its world debut on 28 September 2016, ahead of the Paris Motor Show.