Volkswagen’s luxury brand Audi plans to showcase its new model A8 and two concept cars at the upcoming International Motor Show (IAA) 2017 to be held in Frankfurt, Germany.
The new A8 has Level 3 conditional automated driving as standard.
The two concept cars will demonstrate Audi’s vision for Level 4 and Level 5 and provide an insight into the company’s foray into artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
The company claims that its A8 with Level 3 automated driving as standard, can take over the driving of the vehicle on highways and multi-lane motorways. Audi’s AI traffic jam pilot can take over the driving in slow-moving traffic at speeds up to 60 km/h.
As per Audi, the system can handle several driving processes which includes starting from a stop, accelerating, steering and braking in its lane. Once the driver has activated the traffic jam pilot by pressing the button on the center console, he or she can take the foot off the accelerator pedal and hands off the steering wheel for longer periods.
This is different from level 2 of autonomous driving, and the driver no longer needs to monitor the car permanently.
According to the luxury auto-brand, the AI traffic jam pilot is based on two technologies including the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) which generates images of the surroundings, when driving by fusing sensor data.
A second data fusion also takes place in the radar control unit and the laser scanner can also provide with detailed information on vehicles that come in and one the roadside peripheral structures.
Audi stated that introducing its AI traffic jam pilot needs both clarity in terms of legal parametes for each country and specific adaptation and testing of the system. Hence, it plans to initiate series production of the traffic jam pilot in the new A8 incrementally, depending on the legal situations in respective countries.
The Level 4 concept car will be an SUV coupé and is based on the e-tron Sportback concept. The electric quattro drive has three motors with a combined output of 370kW.
The new concept is claimed to be using new technologies of AI and machine learning and are networked with the cloud and with other vehicles.
The level 5 concept car, as claimed by Audi is heading towards complete autonomy. Occupants in the car will no longer have to concentrate about traffic. The electric car will be powered by four electric motors, with a range between 700 and 800 km.
