 Audi
developing driverless Audi TTS
28th November 2009
Audi is set to return to a venue synonymous with its past motorsport
successes when a “driverless” TTS Coupé quattro tackles the infamous Pikes
Peak Hill Climb in the USA. The non-competitive “drive” would be 30 years
after the German manufacturer’s quattro permanent four-wheel-drive
technology first appeared.
The Autonomous Audi TTS Coupé quattro is
the direct result of work underway at the Volkswagen Group Automotive
Innovation Laboratory (VAIL) – a collaborative effort set up by the
Volkswagen Group Electronics Research Laboratory and Stanford University USA
to advance car technology.
Currently in the testing phase, the
Autonomous Audi TTS quattro is being developed for several still-to-be
determined real-world driving challenges in 2010, including a possible drive
up the legendary 12.42-mile Pikes Peak Hill Climb route in Colorado USA.
This will not be a competition run, however, and is separate from the actual
Hill Climb Championships being staged next June.
The Autonomous Audi
TTS project is not aimed at making motorists, or the thrill of driving,
dispensable. Instead, it is intended to explore the best capabilities of
current and future driver assistance technologies to help Audi enhance the
experience behind the steering wheel for future driver generations.
Dr. Burkhard Huhnke, executive director of the Electronics Research
Laboratory, has noted that the technology found in the Autonomous Audi TTS
quattro could help motorists respond more effectively to changing traffic
conditions to reduce road congestion and allow better reactions to safety
hazards. Dr. Huhnke also suggests the technology could return time to the
car owners by taking care of routine driving chores, such as locating an
assigned space in a car park.
Dr. Huhnke commented: “We believe that
developing a car that can perform as well and respond as rapidly as a
‘professional’ driver, like a race or rally driver, will eventually be able
to drive its way around incidents in a way that a ‘normal’ driver couldn’t.
“While a less experienced driver may freeze or make the wrong
‘correction’, the Autonomous TTS would be able to take over or guide the
driver to escape from a critical situation. It could also compensate if a
driver is inattentive to conditions or distracted but of course, it won’t
prevent all accidents.”
Audi Pikes Peak legends
For Audi, even in a non- competition format, the Autonomous TTS run would
also mark the company’s return to the Pikes Peak course featuring over 156
turns and climbs 4,721 ft to the 9,390 ft summit. Bobby Unser set a new
track record of 11:09.22 minutes in 1986 at the wheel of a “Pikes Peak” S1
quattro to beat the 11:25.39 set in 1985 by Michèle Mouton (Audi Sport
quattro). In 1987, Walter Röhrl clocked 10:47.85 to set the first sub-11mins
time in a 2.1-litre, five cylinder “Pikes Peak” quattro delivering almost
600 hp – one of the most extreme Audi quattro cars ever built.
Audi
still holds several records even though Röhrl’s erstwhile record was broken
in years to come. While mid-engine cars with four-wheel-drive and even with
four-wheel steering compete nowadays Audi, with its road car derived front
engined and steel monocoque chassis, remarkably still holds the record for a
front-engined car at ‘The Peak’ after three decades have elapsed.
‘Drive by Wire‘
The Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab
has converted a standard Audi TTS quattro to “drive by wire” and is
developing a safety system to ensure a reliable autonomous drive that can
perform a vehicle shutdown if it determines conditions have become unsafe.
The Autonomous TTS is currently controlled by a computer located in the
boot but next year Stanford algorithms will be running in the car using Java
“real time” receiving programming updates via telemetry with a range of 20
miles. Ultimately, it is envisioned that aerial towers will be able to send
and receive signals to these cars in a manner similar to cellular mobile
telephone aerials today.
As a backup solution, the vehicle includes a
telemetry system that can transmit all vehicle parameters to a receiving
station up to 20 miles away which can also shut down the vehicle remotely,
or order the safety systems to engage and bring the car to a controlled
stop.
Audi is the World pioneer of the first volume production
four-wheel-drive road car. Unveiled at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show (6 March),
the original Audi quattro laid the foundation for the German manufacturer’s
incredible domination in motorsport, transforming and redefining World
rallying and more recently in touring car racing worldwide, again with
production derived cars.
The Audi TTS is powered by an athletic
turbocharged 2.0-litre FSI engine delivering 350 Nm of torque and is capable
of taking you from 0 to 62mph in just 5.2 seconds and is currently available
for a price of $98,900* for the Coupé and $103,500* for the Roadster in
Australia. Pricing is the manufacturers recommended price before on road
costs.
The Autonomous TTS Coupé prototype is based on the standard
specification.
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