Remember a few months ago when the Google autonomous car made headlines, and that seems like a nightmarish move to car enthusiasts? With more manufacturers experimenting the possibility of autonomous cars, it’s just a matter of time before this happens. Apparently, Audi has demonstrated that autonomous cars aren’t that bad with the Audi RS7 Piloted Driving Concept Car.
Audi’s autonomous car is based on the production RS7 model; hence it is a fast and desirable looking car unlike the weird one from Google. The car has “specially corrected GPS signals” to detect and get familiarized with the track. This data combines with 3D camera images that are compared in real time with graphical information stored inside the car’s computers to develop precise positioning information.
There’s even an on-board networking system that links the car’s components ranging from electromechanical power steering, brake, throttle valve, eight-speed automatic transmission and mechanical Quattro all-wheel-drive system to work hand-in-hand. Whatever that made it work, call it as witchcraft.
Audi were so confident that they demoed the 560bhp RS7 to lap the Hockenheimring circuit at racing speed during last weekend’s DTM race in front of the spectators. The RS7 took slightly more than 2 minutes to lap this 4.6km circuit.
“The top performance by the Audi RS7 today substantiates the skills of our development team with regard to piloted driving at Audi. The derivations from series production – particularly in terms of precision and performance – are of great value for our further development steps.” said Audi AG board member for technical development, Professor Ulrich Hackenberg.
Such autonomous technologies however will not make racing drivers lose their jobs, but instead allowing manufacturers to develop such systems further since the race track is the most demanding place to test production car. Audi says this is a demonstration of future autonomous technologies on their cars in the near future. On that note, will jobs like chauffeur are soon to be obsolete? We hope not!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOYsI1cqUrw
[Source: Car Advice]
