Audi 2015 Annual Report Download - page 35

The Audi A sets new standards in its
class with its wide choice of active
driver assistance systems. It’s equipped
with cameras, ultrasound and radar
sensors for safety and ride comfort.
What do you think about the new
safety systems ?
Dummy H- : I think they’re great ! I
live for progress and the issue of safety,
and I’m pleased that we o er new as well
as signifi cantly updated systems in
the new A – many of them as standard
equipment. I’m proud to be a part of
vehicle development and to contribute
toward making the vehicles even safer.
Audi pre sense city, for example, warns the
driver of an impending collision and even
initiates emergency braking if necessary.
For Audi pre sense city, several thousand
hours and hundreds of thousands of
kilometers were driven with a camera
all around the world to imbue the vehi-
cle with this tremendous intelligence.
Added to this were several thousand test
drives with dummies, that is, with
pedestrian and automobile silhouettes.
Have you ever simulated a pedestrian ?
Dummy H- : No, we have a separate
team of dummies made of a foam mix
for that. These dummies have to behave
as realistically as possible so that
our cameras in the vehicle can learn to
de tect human movements. That’s why
in the future their legs will swing while
walking or running.
And intelligent cars ? Where will
they lead us ?
Dummy H- : I consider that to be a
grand, wonderful process that has only
just begun, even if we at Audi already
have quite a lead. Our engineers are cur-
rently developing very e ective tools
for vehicle safety : Besides Audi pre sense
city, we also have turn assist, which
actively helps to prevent accidents while
turning across lanes with oncoming
tra c. There is also the rear cross-tra c
assist, which warns of other cars when
pulling out of a perpendicular parking
spot, for example. Or an exit warning
that informs all occupants before open-
ing the doors if vehicles are approaching
from the rear. And we are developing
the tra c jam assist, which already can
take over for the driver on the highway
at speeds of up to  kilometers per
hour and stay in lane while keeping up
with the vehicle ahead. In the years
ahead, we will be able to master a far
greater range of tra c situations and
even higher speeds with piloted functions,
including in series-production vehicles.
It’s a safe bet.
THOR-M : the next-generation dummy for future
frontal crash tests. Successor to the Dummy H3,
he has up to 130 measuring points for measuring
crash forces and e ects. Both the thorax and
pelvis have been improved. Total number of larger
individual parts : roughly 300.
LEAVING PARKING SPOTS WITH CAUTION :
AUDI REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ASSIST
Rear cross tra c assist warns the driver of ap-
proaching vehicles which it considers critical when
slowly backing up, such as when pulling out of
a perpendicular parking spot. Rear radar data are
used to issue graduated warnings – visually, acous-
tically and via a warning jolt.
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