Autonomous vehicles have always been the end-goal of the automobile industry, and thanks to modern technology, we’re likely just years away from truly self-driving vehicles. Before that happens though, automakers have hurdles great and small to overcome, which means a lot of incremental technologies and improvements are coming.

Land Rover’s new All Terrain Progress Control system isn’t so much an autonomous driving system as it is cruise control for off-roading. But the technologies that identify obstacles in front of the Land Rover, adjusting speed and managing torque while letting the driver focus on steering, do have implications for autonomous driving. Not that we want a computer having all the fun for us, mind you.

Able to function at speeds as high as 30 KMH, or about 19 MPH, the ATPC system works to completely eliminate wheelspin that can make off-roading particularly difficult. Drivers manually set a target speed and then can take their foot off the gas pedal, freeing them to put all their attention on steering. While this might not be a problem for veteran off-roaders, for novice drivers facing inclement weather or a sudden off-road deviation, the ATPC can be a literal lifesaver, or at the very least prevent damage to an expensive vehicle.

Considering that all autonomous driving systems are essentially just advanced cruise control systems, the ATPC technology could very well become commonplace on more than just Land Rovers. Because if we’re going to ever be an autonomous automobile society, those cars and trucks will probably have to be every bit as viable off-road as they are on-road. Just as long as there’s an off-switch, we’re cool with autonomous cars.