- Catch up with the latest news from the 2014 Paris motor show

Jaguar Land Rover is well on the way to delivering with a car that will drive itself within the next decade.

Speaking at the Paris motor show, JLR's director of research and technology Dr Wolfgang Epple said the advanced technology added to its new XE sedan meant it was prepped and ready to start the first steps towards fully autonomous driving.

"For Jaguar Land Rover it will happen within the next 10 years," he said.

Features such as electrically assisted power steering and stereo cameras to support lane keeping ability and automatic braking functions were part of the package that could remove the sometimes onerous task of actually having to drive the car.

"You will see more additional features every six or nine months being added to the cars," Epple added.

"What we have done with the XE as well is to put the right infrastructure into the car in terms of electric connectivity and with the first devices you can add some other applications."

The key to building a self-piloting car was replacing various closed data systems within the car – such as anti-lock brake wheel-speed sensors or radar cruise control distance detectors – with a central processor called an Advanced Driver Assistance System.

Jaguar says it is ready to join rivals and start developing driverless car technology

Using up to 220 sensors from around the car, the ADAS makes split second decisions on surrounding traffic, the road ahead, then braking, steering and throttle inputs.

"Autonomous cars is not something that is happening at once, it's a journey that is happening in small steps," Epple told Drive.

"The XE does not have the ADAS controller. But it is capable of having the ADAS controller in the car and going a few steps further on that journey."

Jaguar says it is ready to join rivals and start developing driverless car technology

Dr Epple said that as autonomous driving could be used in a logical or rational sense to take over driving duties and avoid the ennui of traffic jams or long country drives.

"It's not rocket science to move the car a few metres and then stop again. For long distance driving you travel 50, 60 70 miles on the highway following the car in front of you for hours. It's something that can be done autonomously," he said.

The trick, he added, was integrating those functions with the situation when the driver wants to turn the system off and do some proper driving; what he calls the emotional factor.

Given that the new Land Rover Discovery Sport uses many of the same systems as the Jaguar XE, what badge would the company's first autonomous vehicle be likely to wear?

"It fits them both because, either Land Rover or Jaguar drivers, they are in that situation where they have a logical and rational need where autonomous driving is supported, or to give them the freedom to do something else," Epple answered.