Audi has announced that it will showcase its autonomous driving strategy at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. This new strategy will be demonstrated using the new A8 and two other concept cars.
While the new Audi A8 incorporates conditional automated driving at level 3 as standard, the two concept cars will be demonstrating the trickier level 4 and level 5. They will also provide insights into the brand’s future AI technologies.
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, 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. The system handles everything right from a standstill to accelerating, steering and braking in its lane. The driver, however, must remain alert and capable of taking over the task of driving when the system prompts them to do so.
For highly automated driving at level 4, Audi will showcase a new SUV concept measuring 4.90 metres in length. Based on the e-tron Sportback concept, it adopts the concept’s dynamic lines, the progressive lighting technology and the electric quattro drive with three electric motors. The concept is capable of providing information for the highway pilot which can take over the driving task at higher speeds and automatically change lanes. The second concept car for the motor show gives the driver the liberty to not necessarily concentrate on road traffic. It is designed primarily for long journeys and is powered by four electric motors with a range of up to 497 miles (800km).
