This Jeep Grand Cherokee Has A Hydraulic Lift That Defeats Traffic

We've all been there before, hopelessly stuck in a traffic jam. It sucks, plain and simple. And yet we've all dreamed about having a car with the capability of literally driving over that complete standstill as you look down at the poor saps still stuck in the quagmire. Hum Rider is the solution, and it's not some CGI trick. This heavily modified Jeep Grand Cherokee was built for Verizon purely as an advertisement to promote Hum, the telecom giant's new module that plugs into a car's OBD port.

For a monthly fee, it'll provide owners with vehicle diagnostics, stolen vehicle tracking, roadside assistance, and even a speed monitor that notifies you when to slow down. But back to that Inspector Gadget-inspired Jeep: It's not for sale and weighs 8,500 pounds (the standard Grand Cherokee barely weighs 5,500 pounds).

The Jeep's original underpinnings have been completely ripped out and replaced by this custom-built hydraulic lift system. Not only is it capable of lifting the vehicle to necessary traffic-passing heights, but it can also widen the Jeep's stance if need be. A Honda generator, located under the hood in place of the original factory engine, powers the lift system. There's over 300 feet of hydraulic pressure lines that control all movement, while bunch of cameras ensure the lift system reaches the necessary height and width to avoid scraping another car. And speaking of cars, they're the only thing this Honda engine-powered, four-ton Grand Cherokee can bypass.

Pickup trucks, semi-trucks, SUVs and school buses are all too tall, and that's pretty ironic considering SUVs and trucks are two of the most popular vehicle segments in the US. Despite being a publicity stunt, more or less, all we really want is that hydraulic lift system, being the unapologetic car geeks that we are.