Audi have entered the autonomous driving race with support from Nvidia, after revealing plans for a new vehicle at the Audi Summit in Barcelona that will work using artificial intelligence (AI).
Nvidia technology will help equip the Audi A8 with a feature that has been named The Audi AI Traffic Jam Pilot for driver assistance, at the core of which is Audi’s own CPU.
Interfaces within the vehicle will also be powered by Nvidia, further contributing to the highly futuristic model targeted by the partnership.
A central console that can be activated with one touch will be responsible for giving audio and visual guidance to the driver.
Set to arrive in the US in 2018, the vehicle, as the name suggests will be specifically geared to handle instances of heavy traffic, handing back control to the driver once the road is clear.
While the project targets assistance in dealing with traffic jams, the technology can apparently handle up to 60kph, indicating potential for the partnership to engage in the fully automated car market when the time comes.
Nvidia are working with numerous other companies including TomTom and Baidu on mapping technologies, possibly expecting an influx in car manufacturers aiming to implement new systems.
READ MORE: Self driving car push by Intel sees BMW tie-up and Autonomous Driving Garage
Audi are also moving full speed ahead to implement cutting edge technology in its new vehicles, as it has also begun working alongside ZF, a German automotive supplier, to develop an AI self-driving system that will work using ultrasonic and radar sensors.
Rupert Stadler, Audi chairman of the board, said: “The car of the future will make its occupants’ lives easier with the help of artificial intelligence.”
AI is a cutting edge technology that is expected to be highly disruptive within across all industries. It is expected to have a revolutionary impact in critical areas such as cybersecurity, and the management and strategy for major enterprises.
