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Audi’s Self-Driving Car Hits 150 MPH on an F1 Track
- awjr 12y agoNot sure how impressive this is. Isn't this just processing power and different performance profile data? If they could solve the driving in a busy urban environment in torrential rain I would be more impressed.
- psycovic23 12y agoIt's impressive. Making anything completely driverless working at incredibly high speeds is challenging.
- Already__Taken 12y agoMuch easier to test a race track than a busy street too.
- tinbad 12y agoThe impressive part about Audi's technology is that it doesn't use very detailed track data to achieve this but is mostly depending on a variety of sensors to anticipate to current road conditions 'on the fly'.
- ushi 12y agoFrom the article: While the RS7’s computer had a detailed digital map of the track and was following an optimized path through it, Audi did not preprogram things like torque or steering.
- tinbad 12y ago"Audi did not preprogram things like torque or steering." And that was my point, unlike BMWs famous testrun (with Jeremy Clarkson) where the car was programmed to steer and give gas for every inch of the track, the Audi is actually able to make those decisions on the fly with the information it gets from its sensors. EDIT: So yes it does use GPS data, but does not rely on it as much as others (including Google).
- 001sky 12y agoYou missed the part about the F1 test track? This obviate the need for deeper GPS depenendence. You have a 3D track designed with graduated radius turn transitions, smooth topological surfac transitions, and predictable fiction levels. All in a general layout that is suited to safety at speed. Try running this car at 150mph on glendora mountain road, at night, during a bout of santa-ana cross winds.
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- mtmail 12y agoTo put the 2:10 minute round time in perspective http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hockenheimring#Record_laptimes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hockenheimring#Record_laptimes I wonder why they didn't use a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R8 if the goal was racing?
- joshu 12y agoNot really fair to compare F1 and a street car, though.
- tinbad 12y agoMy guess is it's because the current R8 has been in production since 2007 without any significant upgrades and therefor lacks the tech to achieve full autonomous driving, also the RS7 tops R8s performance (out of factory). As an owner of the latest model A6 (which the A7 shares most of the components with) I can attest that the factory car is already almost capable of driving itself (but I guess purposefully limited because of legal concerns of taking it on public roads). For example, the A6/A7 is factory equipped with camera's all around, radar and ultrasonic sensors that allow for things like 'staying in it's lane' and adaptive cruise control.
- joshu 12y agoI think the RS7 has the engine but not handling performance. The R8 was based on the Gallardo chassis, whose successor has already appeared. Presumably a Huracan-based R8 successor can't be far behind. Unfortunately RWD sports cars still out handle the Huracan, though by a lesser margin than previously.
- maxmcd 12y agoThey're likely not working with the R8 because their self-driving capabilities are a marketing tool to compete with the likes of the Mercedes S-Class. The R8 is also at the end of its product life-cycle so they're probably trying to keep it out if the limelight as much as possible. And yes, formula 1 comparisons are unfair, but if they're actually within 30 seconds of DTM cars that seems pretty impressive.