Photo: Audi
I still remember the I, Robot movie car quite vividly, even though it appeared on the silver screens 11 years ago. Detective Spooner, played by Will Smith, had something that looked like an Audi R8 (called RSQ), yet could drive itself.
If you think that sounds unbelievable, know that there really is an Audi R8 that can drive itself without human intervention. It's called the R8 e-tron piloted driving concept and was presented during the 2015 CES Asia in Shanghai.
Of course, this isn't the first self-driving Audi. During the American Consumer Electronics Show, an A7 four-door coupe drove itself to Las Vegas with auto journalists experiencing the whole thing. What's different is that the R8 e-tron is full-electric, like the Tesla Model S.
It features a pair of powerful electric motors that together generate 462 HP (340 kW) and 920 Nm (679 lb-ft). That's enough to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately, the top speed is limited to 130 mph (210 km/h), so detective Spooner won't get to the scene of robot crimes too briskly.
So how does it work? Well, the R8 e-tron piloted driving concept collects data about its environment using an array of sensors, which include a laser scanner, video cameras and radars. A central computing unit "paints" a picture of the Audi's environment and decides what actions to take.
The self-driving R8 e-tron is said to achieve an electric range of 450 kilometers (280 miles), so the 92 kWh battery could probably last a whole week. If that doesn't prove the futuristic world from I, Robot is upon us, nothing does. But where are all the automated servants?
Of course, this isn't the first self-driving Audi. During the American Consumer Electronics Show, an A7 four-door coupe drove itself to Las Vegas with auto journalists experiencing the whole thing. What's different is that the R8 e-tron is full-electric, like the Tesla Model S.
It features a pair of powerful electric motors that together generate 462 HP (340 kW) and 920 Nm (679 lb-ft). That's enough to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately, the top speed is limited to 130 mph (210 km/h), so detective Spooner won't get to the scene of robot crimes too briskly.
So how does it work? Well, the R8 e-tron piloted driving concept collects data about its environment using an array of sensors, which include a laser scanner, video cameras and radars. A central computing unit "paints" a picture of the Audi's environment and decides what actions to take.
The self-driving R8 e-tron is said to achieve an electric range of 450 kilometers (280 miles), so the 92 kWh battery could probably last a whole week. If that doesn't prove the futuristic world from I, Robot is upon us, nothing does. But where are all the automated servants?
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