Audi Autonomy: Silicon Valley to Vegas with Minimal Driver Interaction

We are closer than some believe.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Jan. 25, 2015



Audi A7 TFSI quattro autonomous driving concept.



Earlier this month an Audi A7 Autonomous Concept made a historic drive with a few select journalists behind the wheel. The job they were going to perform? Basically to enjoy the hands off ride while the car did 99 percent of the work driving between San Francisco and Las Vegas.



The long-distance test drive concluded with impressive results as most found it to be an experience of a lifetime to drive on roads occupied by others with little in the way of activity other than watching a computer handle the driving chore.



The journey was organized by Volkswagen’s Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL), Volkswagen Group R&D and Audi. In addition, the journalists received training in December at Volkswagen’s test track in Arizona. An Audi test driver was sitting in the front passenger seat to provide additional backup safety.



Of the 560+ miles covered over a two day period, those behind the wheel experienced autonomous driving in 100 mile stints over a variety of interstate while passing slower traffic and traversing back into the right hand lane. The only time the drivers had to take the wheel was when driving along poorly painted solid white line marks at the right edge of highway while traversing some off-ramps. With that feedback, Audi plans to improve their autonomous driving R&D further.



Looking back



In our drive of the A7 TDI across I-80 across Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, with its advanced Active Lane Assist and Radar Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, you could let go of the wheel for miles on end. All the while the A7 TDI would correct itself back to the middle of the lane and change speeds to match whatever traffic ahead was moving at. It was not perfect and it could not change lanes and pass but it hinted at what autonomous driving of the future would be like. The Audi A7 TFSI quattro autonomous driving concept is far more advanced.



The concept utilizes various production-ready sensors as well as sensors integrated into production vehicles today that accurately detect the vehicles surroundings. Adaptive cruise control (ACC) and Audi side assist (ASA) long-range radar sensors as well as mid-range radar sensors at the front and the rear of the vehicle that are directed to the left and right of the vehicle complement the 360-degree surround vision.



Laser scanners are integrated into the front Singleframe grille and rear bumper fascia to provide additional detailed recognition of static or dynamic objects. The redundancy of the sensor data consists of a continuous feedback loop check during autonomous driving to ensure the correct decisions are being made.



Four smaller cameras at the front and rear of the vehicle provide short-range information of the surrounding environment. A hi-resolution, wide-angle 3D video camera from supplier Mobile Eye will see production in the upcoming all-new 2016 Audi Q7, observes the surrounding traffic.



Navigational data provides general highway orientation.

Audi A7 TFSI quattro autonomous concept interior.

The concept handles driving duties from 0 to 70 mph. It can initiate lane changes and passing maneuvers as well as accelerates and brakes independently. Before initiating a lane change to the left or the right, the vehicle adapts its speed to surrounding vehicles. If the speed and distance calculation is deemed safe, the vehicle initiates the lane change in a timely manner.



Before the autonomous driving system reaches its limitations, the driver is requested to take control of the vehicle to ensure proper safety. The driver presses two keys on the multifunction steering wheel which returns full active control of the car’s longitudinal and lateral motion.



Multiple warning signals are displayed via colored LEDs at the base of the windshield, signals in the driver information display, a Central Status Indicator (CSI), as well as an acoustic warning indicator requesting that the driver retake control. If the driver ignores all these warnings, the system will activate the hazard flashers and bring the car to a standstill in its current lane.

Audi A7 TFSI quattro autonomous concept





Taking a bow on the red carpet in Vegas.

So is this the pre-production prototype of an actual autonomous car? No, it is just a demonstrator of what has been achieved and what can be achieved going forward. Besides the technology that is still in its infancy, there are still insurance and liability questions as well as where and when an autonomous vehicle can be left to its own devices. All told, we are getting closer and once the HW and SW matures and an insurance and liability model is produced, we may all be driving from the backseat. Quite literally.

Audi Autonomy: Silicon Valley to Vegas with Minimal Driver Interaction