derfA8L

From Motor Authority.com:

"The recent death of driver in a Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] Model S that crashed while in Autopilot mode is a good reminder that autonomous driving technology is still in its infancy.

That doesn’t mean the technology isn’t advancing at a rapid rate. In fact, as early as next year we might have the first car on sale with “Level 3” autonomous capability.

Level 3 is where a car can take complete control but only in specific situations. Level 4 is where a car can be in control in all but the most extreme conditions, such as severe weather. Level 5, the ultimate goal, is where a car can safely operate without a human onboard.

According to Auto Express, the 2018 Audi A8 due on the market next year will be the first production car with Level 3 capability. The situations the technology will work in will be some parking situations as well as driving in traffic at speeds of up to 37 mph.

The British publication adds that drivers won’t need to pay attention in these situations, and that Audi will accept full liability for its cars driven in these situations while in autonomous mode. This contrasts with existing autonomous systems, which should more accurately be labeled driving aids as they require a driver to constantly pay attention.

You won’t be able to nod off once you enter a traffic jam in the new A8, though. Audi’s system is designed to constantly monitor the driver and warn them should conditions change, for example, when the traffic starts to speed up. Should the driver not respond, we're told the car will be able to safely slow down to a stop."

MP4.2+6.0

Hopefully better than the lane change assist on my 2015, just one element crossing over to eventual autonomous. Craptastic. I guess the crack engineers from TDI went to work on it. The usual complaint is the tug at the steering wheel and maybe resulting feeling steering gets artificial that causes people to turn it off. But, having played with it more, only part of story once you get past that.

Specifically, they forgot a few lines of code. For any who have tried it, if you aim it (or let it wander) slightly toward a (clear) lane line, it then has the car slightly "bounce" off of it, kind of like a bowling ball down an alley with bumpers. And like inexperienced kids, they forgot to put the next few lines of code in. The ones that look at the lane marks and tell car to recenter between them. Instead it continues its arc and slowly bounces off the other "bumper," if the road is perfectly straight that is. Seems so basic, and not a great sign to me. Would be a great way to get stopped a lot for suspicion of DUI though. ...Not so good. But then the Tesla missed a truck literally as large as a billboard face on. Due to being lost in mid afternoon bright sky? Otherwise known as perfectly clear weather. More beta testing, that one costing both a life and big brand hit.

Yes, I expect something good to come, but frankly what is out there so far really is often this beta stuff, and seemingly not particularly well done. The system that has had a big effect statistically is brake assist/intervention. Already clear in the accident reporting data and rates. And that seems to be the one that failed miserably in the Tesla scenario. So far it seems on top of things in the S8. Maybe a little cautious when it issues the flashing red warning, but system has obvious benefits.

Bigger picture, Audi being, well Audi (VW) I have some concerns management and design wise. Obviously infamous and now notorious for control everything, top down management. Then with the other German competitors of like mind and management arrogance they bought Nokia's mapping assets...for a couple billion. Supposed to map to less than a foot. Gotta have great mapping for anything even sort of autonomous over any distance and varied conditions. Trouble is--besides obvious need to update regularly- that really isn't good enough for tight maneuvers with curbs and such if you think about it for even a minute or two, let alone pot holes and other things that come up and aren't "on the map." Wheel repair shops will like it though! Instead, the apparent Tesla approach of essentially crowd sourcing mapping in some ways makes more sense--except for those moving around big as a barn trucks... That is, they apparently integrate real time feedback from what are essentially a while fleet of Google (or Nokia) map mobiles, where you can look at exactly where any Tesla drives on any road and in any lane they cover, every day, all year. Then obviously you know in a normal distribution where the wheels actually travel, and can see any variances in a decent database exceptions reporting system, Trouble is, this is a decentralized sort of approach in many ways. Sort of anathema to top down control freak stereotype, let alone whether the group of them flushed a couple billion down an expensive Euro toilet for Nokia assets.

Looking forward to it. Strikes me as one where I may not want to be the first in the pool though. TSB list could be miles long, like an early build 2004 D3 on steroids. Also still interested if they really rethink quattro, behind faux Haldex that is that is coming in on the smaller longitudinal drivetrains. The D platform is the likely place they could move it ahead several more notches, including mixed electric.

Ravill

The lane assist has saved my keister from drifting into another lane, more than once.

With kids in the car and the occasional distraction, it is a god send.