Autonomous Driving Made Simple With the Aicon Concept

Pushing towards an AI future

At the Frankfurt auto show, Audi unveiled another concept car upon the world that pushes the AI agenda further. The "design study" from the brand shows us a world of the future in which steering wheels, pedals, and other instruments are things of the past. Audi has some interesting innovations at work with this concept including a companion drone that comes with the car. That drone has a built-in flashlight and is designed mostly for lighting a user's path as they enter and exit a vehicle at night. 

>>Join the conversation about the Aicon Concept right here in the Audi World Forum!

A great car to rival Tesla

The car will not only be an autonomous vehicle but will also be an EV that is capable of a 497-mile range on one charge. Just like the Elaine concept that was on hand at Frankfurt, this car can also go from fully depleted to an 80% charge in under a half an hour. There are electric motors at all four wheels that give the Aicon all-wheel drive with a four-wheel steering system for some handling prowess. The two motors in the front and two in the back good for a combined 349 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. 

>>Join the conversation about the Aicon Concept right here in the Audi World Forum!

Move over Siri and Cortana

The Aicon uses an artificial intelligence developed by Audi that is called "PIA" or Personal Intelligent Assistant, to offer up services to passengers by way of situation and learning. The car also uses eye tracking that it uses in conjunction with voice commands and gesture controls to aid in interfacing with people. PIA can recognize riders by their phone and then change the vehicle settings like cabin lighting, seating position, and air con level to suit them.

>>Join the conversation about the Aicon Concept right here in the Audi World Forum!

A cabin that can modify itself

The Aicon is a full-size four-door that opens with opposing doors to a configurable interior. There is a small rear bench that backs up to a captain's chair that can be moved about the cabin. Once inside the car, there are lots of entertainment options to keep the passengers busy.  There are several displays and a windshield that turns into a giant head-up display so that passengers can enjoy various media on it. Since no one has to worry about driving, the interior of the car becomes a mobile living room for stress-free travel. Exterior screens can communicate with outside vehicles and pedestrians to pass along messages that are conveniently projected right onto the road. 

>>Join the conversation about the Aicon Concept right here in the Audi World Forum!

A smarter smart car

The car does away with long-range headlights for nighttime driving in favor of autonomous sensors that will navigate the car through the darkness. Audi is among the auto brands on the market that are pushing the hardest toward advances in autonomous driving. The Aicon and Elaine are glimpses of what we can expect from Audi over time as they allow owners to focus more on themselves than the utilitarian act of driving. However, as much as the tech on these concept cars is, sadly it relies on a world in which we are fully autonomous. 

>>Join the conversation about the Aicon Concept right here in the Audi World Forum!

Quattro in full effect

As far as the driving that the vehicle itself will do, there is a quattro all-wheel-drive system that will help the Aicon tackle inclement weather and various terrain. The suspension tuning on the vehicle is set for ride comfort, with air springs, dampers, and electric actuators at the wheels. Because there is no steering wheel, no steering shaft, and an all-wheel steering system, the Aicon has a very tight turning radius of 27.9 feet. The braking will be handled by brake regeneration with the friction disc brakes having been relocated to the inboard. “If the car detects passersby or other road users, it literally makes eye contact with them and follows them with its ‘eyes,’ ” Audi said.

>>Join the conversation about the Aicon Concept right here in the Audi World Forum!

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