Slideshow: Why Can't Americans Have Nice Things?
Audi's innovative cruise control is everything we want in a self-driving car.
The 2019 Audi A8
With the impending launch of the new 2019 Audi A8 in Barcelona this coming July 11th, Audi will begin marketing itself as the first company to sell a Level 3 self-driving car. Oddly enough the technology isn't legal yet in many markets, but Audi says the new A8 will have the hardware and firmware it needs in place to wrest control of the car from the driver on a semi-permanent basis.
Traffic Jam Pilot
When the 2019 Audi A8 sedan hits dealer lots later this year, only the lucky Europeans will have access to Audi's "Traffic Jam Pilot". That system will take control of the car on the highway at speeds below 37 mph with no need for any constant human supervision which is in contrast to current systems like Tesla’s Autopilot.
AI Take the Wheel
Audi will be the first automaker to launch what engineers have dubbed a “Level 3” system. Which is to say it can safely control itself, but will still require a human at the wheel to take over in the occasional storm or stripeless sections of highway. Drivers who use Tesla's "Autopilot", Cadillac's " Super Cruise", or Nissan's "Pro Pilot" are instructed to watch the road at all times and be ready to take over to avoid accidents, or in the event of an emergency. The differences are small but important.
As Audi’s website states: “With Traffic Jam Pilot engaged, drivers no longer need to continuously monitor the vehicle and the road. They must merely stay alert and capable of taking over the task of driving when the system prompts them to do so.” So if you’re on the highway and stuck in slow traffic, activate the system and then feel free to relax, look at your phone, read the paper, or maybe even read a book. Just don’t get any ideas about taking a nap.
Amenities
The A8 will come will the luxuries and amenities you'd come to expect from Audi these days. Ample leg room and infotainment are practically standard these days, however, the AI-equipped A8's come with something extra.
You Can Now Watch TV!
Audi is so confident in Traffic Jam Pilot's capabilities that the system is designed to enable certain driver "side tasks" (more like distractions). These side tasks include watching television on the A8's 10.1-inch center stack screen or checking your email inbox using Audi's MMI infotainment interface. You can even watch YouTube when tethered to your mobile device using either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Not only that, when Traffic Jam Pilot is active, Audi expects to take legal responsibility for the outcome of the car's driving, right down to accidents or driving citations. Yes... you read that right.
Future Aspirations
While yes you could kick up and relax in the A8's backseat as it is now, you'd still need a driver to allow you to do so safely, unfortunately. Though this certainly makes one dream... can you imagine morning commutes once this system is finally implemented and refined enough to allow for such a luxury!
Sadly as it is, today's less capable systems risk derailing the future before Audi can get there. The National Transportation Safety Board, which last year criticized Tesla’s Autopilot feature for allowing human drivers to abuse it. The AutoPilot system is now involved in at least two fatality accidents, an accident involving a fire truck, and just this week another accident involving their car running into a parked police cruiser.
In Closing
It's clear to see where the future of automotive technology is heading. We will soon be an all-electric, driverless society. While the gearhead and auto enthusiast in me fears this inevitability, I have come to recognize and see the silver lining to this cloud. So it won't be too bad... not if we're looking at features like this in automotive AI's infancy!
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