Audi Tests Driverless-Car Technology At 305 kph

German luxury car manufacturer Audi is taking a step into the future with its driverless-car technology. They are attempting to set new standards and benchmarks for piloted driving. Audi took their RS 7 concept sans a driver to a track to set the fastest time.

The German manufacturer took their RS 7 concept to Hockenheim circuit. Their goal was to push their system to the limit and set a new record around the circuit sans a driver. It took the piloted driving concept little over two minutes to complete a lap with pinpoint accuracy.

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG, commented, "The top performance of the Audi RS 7 today substantiates the skills of our development team with regard to piloted driving at Audi."

He further added, "The derivations from series production, particularly in terms of precision and performance, are of great value for our further development steps."

The engineers used specially corrected GPS signals for a perfect orientation on track. The data is then sent back to the vehicle by WiFi, which uses the highest automotive standards and redundantly via high-frequency radio.

The Audi engineers have also fitted 3D cameras within the vehicle to film the track, while a computer program compares the camera data and analyse it with its set stored on board. These features allow the vehicle to be driven around a circuit sans a driver.

Audi is making a conscious effort to implement more safety driving options in road going vehicles. These features are expected to make driving a more relaxed and controlled activity. Currently the German manufacturer offers Audi side assist, Audi active lane assist, adaptive cruise control, and Audi 'pre sense' technology, which tightens seat belts if a potential accident is predicted.

Video: Audi RS 7 Concept Driven To The Limit Sans Driver!