Audi to reveal autonomous Level 4 and 5 concept cars at Frankfurt Motor Show

Audi is to showcase 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. 

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 60kph (37.3mph).

The system handles starting from a stop, accelerating, steering and braking in its lane. If the driver has activated the traffic jam pilot at the AI button on the center 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. 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.

Highly automated at Level 4 and 5
This Audi study is an SUV coupé measuring 4.90 metres (16.1 feet) long. 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 are 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 summarized 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 up to 130kph (80.8mph) and automatically change lane.

The second concept car offers its occupants entirely new freedom where they no longer have to concentrate on road traffic. Passengers can use the extra time on something other than driving. To this end, the show car combines many new features in the area of connectivity, communication and operation, which make traveling 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 between 700 and 800 kilometres. The interior and exterior design of the full-size model is spectacular and groundbreaking. According to Audi, it offers brand-new possibilities which an all-electric, self-driving car opens up for designers.