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• Audi just unveiled its new A8 luxury sedan in Barcelona, and as you would expect from the German automaker, this car is brimming with high-tech features. There’s a brand-new infotainment system, fully active electric suspension, and a mild hybrid engine. But at the top of the list is Audi’s claim that the A8 is the first production vehicle with Level 3 autonomy, which would make it one of the most highly automated cars on the road when it goes on sale next year. Moreover, Audi is the latest carmaker to double down on self-driving software in the race to bring a fully autonomous vehicle to market.

• In Audi’s parlance, the A8’s autonomous features translate as the “AI traffic jam pilot,” meaning the car can take control of the driving in slow-moving traffic at up to 60 kilometers per hour. The system is activated by a button on the center console, and it can take over acceleration, braking, steering, and starting from a dead-stop, all without the driver paying attention.

• Let that sink in for a second. Using a combination of LIDAR (another first for a production car, Audi claims), a front-facing camera, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, Audi says the A8 is capable of driving all by itself at speeds of up to 37 mph. There are a couple caveats, obviously. The traffic jam pilot only works on highways with a physical barrier separating oncoming traffic, and the use of the system is subject to the laws of whichever jurisdiction you’re driving through. So bone up on the rules of the road before pressing that button.

• This would put Audi far ahead of competitors like Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, and Cadillac, which all have semi-autonomous driving assist systems on the market, but also all require some level of driver attention and engagement with the steering wheel. Audi is saying that drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel “permanently” while the traffic jam pilot is engaged, which is sure to raise concerns from regulators and safety advocates. Automakers and tech companies are currently debating among themselves about how much autonomy the driving public can currently handle, and the release of the A8 is sure to send those talks into the stratosphere.

Link

https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/11/15952510/audi-a8-level-3-autonomous-driving-self-parking

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