Audi A8: A techie look at Audi’s smart way to drive

MANILA, Philippines — Would I enjoy a car that drove itself? Maybe, maybe not.

Well, Audi, with its all-new A8 sedan, recently developed the world’s first production car with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Active Suspension technologies.

So, how do they work?

Audi reports that  with its Audi AI traffic jam pilot, it presents the world’s first system that enables highly-automated driving at level 3, where the car takes over the task of driving only in certain situations; unlike at level 2, where the driver no longer needs to monitor it permanently but must merely be capable of taking back responsibility whenever the system prompts them to.

In the Audi A8, the driver activates the traffic jam pilot with the AI button on the center console. On wider streets like highways and expressways, where a physical barrier separates the two sides of the roads, the system takes over the driving task in traffic jam and slow-moving traffic at up to 60 km/h. In these situations, the traffic jam pilot manages starting, accelerating, steering and braking. It can also handle challenging situations such as vehicles cutting in closely in front. The signals that the traffic jam pilot needs for highly automated driving are supplied for by the central driver assistance controller (zFAS).

With the traffic jam pilot active, the driver can relax. In this specific traffic situation, the  driver can take his or her hands off the steering wheel permanently.

During highly-automated travel, a small camera in the driving area detects if the driver tires or falls sleep. If that happens, a multi-stage warning is given. As soon as the speed rises above 60 km/h or the line of vehicles breaks up, the traffic jam pilot informs the driver that he or she needs to take charge of driving once again. If the driver ignores this prompt and subsequent warnings, the new A8 brakes to a standstill.

Sounds kinda cool, I guess. But for a driver like me, who likes to sit at the cockpit and be in control, I might venture to try it out – but perhaps only for a few minutes without really letting the car drive itself.

However, it does present a good opportunity to keep moving even if I have to pick up an important call with a Bluetooth headset.

Have Smartphone, Will Park

With the Audi AI remote parking pilot and the Audi AI remote garage pilot, the A8 drives independently and without a driver into a parallel or right-angle parking space in several maneuvers, or forward into a garage. Both systems access the steering, accelerator, brakes, tiptronic and also the optional dynamic all-wheel steering.

What makes this feature quite interesting is that the parking can be done even if the driver steps outside the car during the parking maneuvers.

The driver starts the maneuver from a smartphone by pressing the Audi AI button in the myAudi app. To monitor it, the driver holds it pressed and watches a live display from the car’s 360 degree cameras on the smartphone. Once the maneuver is over, the system automatically engages the tiptronic P position and switches off the engine and ignition.

Paking done.

When ready to drive off, the driver can start the Audi A8 by smartphone and drive it out of the parking space or garage again. If the driver is still behind the wheel, he or she also has the option of activating the parking pilot using the AI button in the center console. Like the AI button in the myAudi app, the driver can hold it pressed throughout the entire process.

The Audi AI (remote) parking pilot and the Audi AI remote garage pilot function intelligently and conveniently.

Smooth and Easy

The new active suspension technology offers comfort-oriented customers an even more stylishly smooth ride in what looks much like a sports car. This flexibility is made possible with the active suspension based on the 48-volt electrical system, which is used for the first time as the main electrical system.

The all-new active suspension on the Audi A8 is a fully active, electromechanical suspension system, which drives each wheel individually and adapts to prevailing road conditions. Thanks to the front camera, the luxury sedan detects bumps in the road early on and predictively adjusts the active suspension. Even before the car reaches a bump in the road, the preview function developed by Audi transmits the right amount of travel and actively controls the suspension.

This way, the suspension reacts precisely at the right time, virtually eliminating any vibrations and jolts. This process takes just a few milliseconds, with the camera generating information about the road surface condition 18 times a second. The electronic chassis platform (ECP) processes the road surface information and precisely controls all suspension components almost in real time.

With the air suspension fine-tuned for the A8, the innovative suspension concept delivers an entirely new driving experience in this way.

For information, call 727-0381 to 85 or visit the Audi showrooms  in Greenhills, Global City, Alabang and SM Seaside City Cebu.