The origin, in a greeting
The origin, logo and name of the Jeep Wave program comes from the way Jeep drivers traditionally wave to each other in our worldwide community. If you’ve ever ridden in a Jeep, you may have noticed other Jeep drivers waving to you. Source: (JEEP)
An act of solidarity
The practice originally started with drivers of older model versions of the Wrangler and Cherokee, but the Jeep Wave now extends to all Jeep drivers. This wave is a way to recognize a fellow Jeep driver and an act of solidarity. The general rule of thumb is that if a fellow Jeep driver waves at you, you wave back, no matter what model Jeep they are driving or you are driving. Traditionally this salute takes the form of two fingers extended from the steering wheel as a sign of peace.
Different origins
The roots of the Jeep Wave have a few different origin stories, two of which seem to be the most important. The first theory of the Jeep Wave was that the wave began during World War II as a way for U.S. soldiers to differentiate an ally from an enemy. Soldiers often drove Jeeps during World War II and the wave was used to salute fellow soldiers when transporting supplies and carrying wounded soldiers.
Second theory
The second theory is similar to the first, but started after the war. Many civilian Jeep owners during this time tended to be returning veterans and the wave was a way for citizens to recognize the veterans’ service and for other veteran Jeep drivers to salute a fellow soldier.
Feelings and meaning
Starting in 2021, the Jeep brand wanted to materialize this gesture in a real world of services and benefits to which every new Jeep owner has access. The Jeep Wave now makes our customers feel like true Jeep owners and fully understand its meaning.
