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Automotive

Audi gets Nevada's second autonomous vehicle license

By Darren Quick
January 08, 2013
Audi gets Nevada's second autonomous vehicle license
Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car could soon be sporting exclusive red license plates that allow it to drive on Nevada's public roads
Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car could soon be sporting exclusive red license plates that allow it to drive on Nevada's public roads
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Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car could soon be sporting exclusive red license plates that allow it to drive on Nevada's public roads
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Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car could soon be sporting exclusive red license plates that allow it to drive on Nevada's public roads
Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car
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Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car
Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car could soon be driving on Nevada public roads
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Audi's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car could soon be driving on Nevada public roads
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Audi has become the second recipient – and the first auto manufacturer – of a license to allow it to test autonomous vehicles on Nevada’s public roads. It follows in the tire tracks of Google, which was given the first self-driving license and exclusive red license plates last year, giving it the go ahead to test its modified Toyota Prius on the state’s roads.

Audi is no slouch when it comes to autonomous driving technology. In 2010 the company’s Autonomous TTS research car completed the 12.42-mile (20 km) of twists and turns that make up the Pikes Peak Hill Climb course in an impressive 27 minutes. That’s around 10 minutes longer than an expert human driver would take in the same car.

Instead of completely taking over from a human driver, in the near term at least, Audi’s autonomous technology is aimed at taking over the boring task of stop-start driving, with drivers still being able to take control when needed, and to let the cars park in tight parking spaces without the driver at the wheel.

Source: Audi

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AutomotiveAudiAutonomous VehiclesSelf-Driving
5 comments
Darren Quick
Darren Quick
Darren's love of technology started in primary school with a Nintendo Game & Watch Donkey Kong (still functioning) and a Commodore VIC 20 computer (not still functioning). In high school he upgraded to a 286 PC, and he's been following Moore's law ever since. This love of technology continues as Managing Editor of New Atlas.

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5 comments
Gargamoth
I don't even want to be sarcastic about this. The idea is bad. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should do it. Who are you going to blame in an accident? Not the driver and if laws change fursther when you can't sue the corporation. there we be no justice for those who are harmed.
Dave Brough
Good one, Gargamouth. Let's just keep things the way they are. Maybe one of your family becoming one of the 1.3 million worldwide killed in and by cars every year will change your mind. For (most of) the rest of us, though, DL won't come a day too soon.
Stephen N Russell
Is CA next since it did pass some regs for Self Drive Cars this year
Gadgeteer
Gargamoth,
The whole idea is to reduce the likelihood of accidents. The reality is that humans are awful drivers and it's a miracle there isn't more carnage on the roads. Just look around any road or street. When I walk through my city center, I can't go a single block without seeing several moving violations, often serious ones. Why are you so dead set on driving anyway? Most "drivers" don't really want to drive, no matter what they claim. They'd obviously rather be doing what they do at the same time they're behind the wheel, like talking on the cell phone, eating, texting, fiddling with the radio, etc.
Russ Pinney
Gargamoth, on top of the benefits Gadgeteer and Dave Brough have suggested, autonomous driving also has the potential to provide huge fuel efficiency gains by autonomously entering, exiting and traveling in 'trains'. Google Volvo Satre for more info. When linked to traffic management systems and data from other AD vehicles, AD should also allow for more accurate and more efficient route planning and real time automated intersection traffic management. You'll get where you want safer, faster, and using less fuel. In the end it is highly probably AD vehicles will have lane and right-of-way priority over non-AD cars, so there'll be plenty of incentive for you to switch. Bring it on, I reckon. The old days were never as good as they'd have us believe.