Audi At The IAA 2017: Autonomous Driving In Three Steps

by Audi | September 8, 2017

•New flagship Audi A8 and two concept cars

•Show cars with intelligent Audi AI technologies for levels 4 and 5

•Additional highlights: Audi A4 Avant g-tron and two new R and RS models

Ingolstadt/Frankfurt am Main, September 8, 2017 – Progress in three levels: Audi is showcasing its autonomous driving strategy at the IAA 2017. The new Audi A8 incorporates conditional automated driving at level 3 as standard. Two concept cars will also be demonstrating the Audi vision for level 4 and level 5. They also provide insights into the brand's future Audi AI technologies. Other production models – from overtly performance-focused to ultra-efficient – round off the motor show presence of the brand with the four rings.

Conditional automated driving at level 3 as standard: the new Audi A8

The new A8 is the world's first volume-production car to be designed for conditional automated driving at level 3 in accordance with international standards. On highways and multi-lane motorways with a physical barrier separating the two directions of traffic, the Audi AI traffic jam pilot takes over the driving task in slow-moving traffic up to 37mph. The system handles starting from a standstill, accelerating, steering and braking in its lane. If the driver has activated the traffic jam pilot via the AI button on the centre console, they can take their foot off the accelerator and their hands off the steering wheel for longer periods. Unlike at level 2, they no longer need to monitor the car permanently and, depending on current national regulations, can turn to other activities supported by the on-board infotainment system. The driver must remain alert and capable of taking over the task of driving when the system prompts them to do so.

The Audi AI traffic jam pilot is based on two technologies, which Audi is the first manufacturer anywhere in the world to incorporate as standard: The central driver assistance controller (zFAS), which generates an image of the surroundings while driving by fusing sensor data. At the same time, a second data fusion takes place in the radar control unit. Meanwhile, the laser scanner, the second innovation, provides detailed information on vehicles cutting in and on the roadside peripheral structures, for instance.

Introduction of the Audi AI traffic jam pilot requires both clarity regarding the legal parameters for each country and specific adaptation and testing of the system. Moreover, varying worldwide homologation procedures and their deadlines must be observed. For these reasons, Audi will initiate series production of the traffic jam pilot in the new A8 incrementally, depending on the legal situation in the respective country.

Highly automated at level 4: concept car with new technology

This Audi study is an SUV coupé measuring 4.90 metres in length. Based on the Audi e-tron Sportback concept, it adopts the concept's dynamic lines, the progressive lighting technology, the functionally elegant interior and the electric quattro drive with three electric motors and a combined peak output of 370 kW.

A new highlight of the study is intelligent technologies which reduce the driver's workload and open up many opportunities for spending time in the car pleasantly and usefully. These systems are summarised under the term Audi AI and, in many cases, use strategies from the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. They are networked seamlessly with the cloud and with other vehicles (car-to-X) – giving them the capability to learn and think in a proactive and empathetic way. Thanks to these systems, the driver gains more time, more safety, more efficiency and more customisation. For highly automated driving at level 4 the SUV coupé uses a next-generation zFAS. It provides information for the highway pilot which can take over the driving task at speeds of up to 80mph and automatically change lane.

Autonomously on course for the future: concept car drives at level 5

The second Audi concept car for the IAA is heading autonomously into the future. It offers its occupants entirely new freedoms where they no longer have to concentrate on road traffic. Passengers can use the extra time for something other than driving. To this end, the show car combines many new features in the area of connectivity, communication and operation, which make travelling extremely comfortable. Thanks to Audi AI these systems are intelligent and forward-thinking.

The new concept car from the Ingolstadt-based automaker is designed primarily for long journeys. It is powered by four electric motors. The car is situated in the D segment, the automotive top tier, and has a range of between 435 and 497 miles. The interior and exterior design of the full-size model is spectacular and groundbreaking. It offers brand-new possibilities which an all-electric, self-driving car opens up for designers.

Further premieres and activities: efficient, sporty and connected

With the A4 Avant g-tron and A5 Sportback g-tron which can now be ordered (not available in the UK), Audi is making an attractive offer for climate-friendly and, at the same time, economical mobility. Its 2.0 TFSI delivers 170PS and 270 Nm (199.1 lb-ft) of torque and, fitted with the seven-speed S tronic, consumes just 3.8 kilograms of natural gas (CNG) for every 62 miles travelled on the NEDC cycle. That is equivalent to CO2 emissions of 102 grams per kilometre and fuel costs of around four euros (as at: September 2017). The total range is 590 miles, up to 310 miles of which can be in gas mode. The g-tron fleet is especially eco-friendly when running on Audi e-gas. Until the end of May 2018, the brand with the four rings will be offering to supply every customer with e-gas as standard, in other words at no extra charge. In the well-to-wheel analysis, Audi e-gas reduces CO2 emissions by 80 percent**.

Audi Sport GmbH will be celebrating two world premieres as part of IAA 2017. The fourth generation of the high-performance Avant is another impressive chapter in the success story of the first RS model, the RS 2 Avant. The Audi subsidiary will also be showcasing for the first time a limited special model with rear-wheel drive.

Audi and HERE Technologies are forging closer links all the time. In the new A8, the automaker is already using multiple services and new technologies from HERE, one of the leading software companies for digital navigation maps and location-based services. Audi itself has a stake in HERE, with both companies looking to work together even more closely in future. They will jointly be presenting their products in the New Mobility World that is part of the IAA.

Photo credit: Audi
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