Audi 2013 Annual Report Download - page 47

Everything under control : In a trac jam, the system takes on the role of the driver, allowing
automatic driving from a crawl to speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. The system is so reliable
that the driver can even let go of the steering wheel and relax a bit while in trac jams.
pedal and lets go of the steering wheel,
which suddenly responds, as if guided
by an invisible hand. Nicole Zdebel is
fascinated : “Wow ! Perfect.” She leans
back and relaxes.
As trac thins out, the vehicle calls for
attention with an audible signal. Nicole
Zdebel takes control of the wheel, until
the trac becomes heavy again.
“It really is like in an airplane. There is a
slight dierence, though : In the plane,
your hands remain on the controls until
you feel a jolt. That sign lets you know
that the autopilot is activated. Here in
the car, I can simply take my hands o
after pressing the button. Of course,
I still have to keep my eyes on everything
because just like a pilot in an airplane,
the driver is ultimately responsible for
everything.” To ensure the Audi makes
its way through the slow trac adeptly
and safely, sensors continually scan the
distance to other road users using radar
systems, laser rangefinders and cameras.
As the Audi chaueurs the pilot along
at a crawl, stopping occasionally and
then accelerating again whenever the
trac clears up for a stretch, she dials
the number of her hotel conveniently
by voice command, in order to reserve a
table for brunch with a friend.
So what does it feel like to drive this
way ? “Relaxed and really safe !” says
Zdebel. “It’s actually much more useful
in a car than in a plane. Because there’s
much less trac in the air than on
the road. The A6 really is an attentive
driver ; I like that !”