Jeep’s off-road power station

JEEP is looking at clever in-car technology that will allow owners to recharge mobile devices while they drive — all without wires.

Fiat Chrysler Australia director of corporate affairs Karla Leach told GoAuto that the US-based car-maker was investigating if the recharge pad technology — users just need to lay a device down to top up the battery — was compatible with mobile devices sold here.

“We’re investigating the compatibility of this system with Australian devices,” Ms Leach told GoAuto.

“The devices need a special case, and we need to investigate if those cases work with the devices on sale here,” she said.

“We don’t want to take the technology in and find out later that it doesn’t work with them,” she said.

The system will soon roll out in US versions of Jeep’s all-new Cherokee off-roader, which will feature a recharging hotspot in the middle of the centre console.

The system is already available on the Dodge Dart as a $US200 option. However, one limitation is that the device will need to have a special backplate or battery cover that allows it to work with the recharger.

“Once we understand it’s compatibility with devices and its features, we will look at it as a standard feature on the Cherokee,” Ms Leach said.

“It is all a little bit up in the air at the moment, but it is something we’re considering.

The new Cherokee, featuring a polarising exterior design that had some pundits suggesting it lacked the same hardcore off-road ability as previous generations of the off-roader, is due on sale in Australia at the end of this year.