Audi to demonstrate automated driving technology in Florida

Audi will be the first to test its automated driving technology on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in Tampa, Florida—which recently was designated as an automated driving and connected car test bed—using an Audi A7 equipped to handle piloted driving functions on freeway conditions up to 40 mph (64 km/h).

Audi believes this initial version of piloted driving—Traffic Jam Pilot—could be available to consumers within five years. As Audi outlined this type of piloted driving functionality at CES in 2013, the system is based on the functionality of Audi adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go, extended by adding the component of lateral guidance.

If the system detects a traffic jam situation (with physical separation of the opposing lane or lanes) at speeds below its 40 mph threshold, the driver can activate the function. The system then takes over the steering; it also accelerates and brakes autonomously. The Audi system for piloted driving in traffic jams continuously assesses the status of the car and its entire surroundings. The car behaves exactly like Audi ACC stop & go in accelerating and braking; it also reacts cooperatively to cars moving into or out of the lane.

When piloted driving reaches its system limits are reached, such as when the traffic jam dissolves or the end of a divided road is reached, it prompts the driver to take back control.

If the driver does not take back control within a few seconds of being prompted, light braking and a more intensive warning are triggered. If the driver fails to react within an additional five seconds, the system establishes a minimal-risk state. The car is braked to a stop and the hazard warning lights are activated.

As described at CES in 2014, the piloted traffic jam system uses a radar system to monitor the area in front of the car in a 35-degree field of view and at a distance of up to 250 meters (820). A video camera with a wide angle of aperture detects the lane markings as well as pedestrians and objects, such as other vehicles and guard rails. Up to twelve ultrasonic sensors are used to monitor the space near the car.

A laser scanner is now being used for the first time. It provides highly precise data at a range of up to 80 meters (262.47 ft). Its laser diode emits nearly 100,000 infrared light pulses per second that are invisible to the human eye.

The sensor scans a field of view of 140 degrees with a resolution of 0.25 degrees over four different levels. The control unit computes a highly detailed surroundings profile from the light reflections. This profile represents other vehicles as well as guard rails. The key advantages of the laser scanner are:

• Because of the large angle of aperture, cars entering the lane are detected very early.
• The laser diode means that it is fully functional in the dark.
• Its measurement method enables it to detect any objects, even those with a solid pattern or with no visible structure.

As an assistance function, piloted driving in a traffic jam enables the driver to devote his or her attention, within certain limits, to other activities while the system is operating. If the vehicle reaches the limits of the function, for instance the traffic jam disperses, the driver is prompted to take over control.

Audi has also said it is developing piloted driving for parking at curbside and in garages.

In 2012, Governor Scott signed into law HB 1207, which allowed the testing of autonomous vehicles in the state, and made Florida one of only three states (Nevada and California being the other two) where automobile and technology manufacturers could invest, with certainty, in research and design projects for autonomous technology. Because Florida created an environment that allows for the testing and development of autonomous technology, companies such as Audi have decided to bring research and development efforts to the state.

Governor Scott has cited this kind of R&D work as a catalyst for attracting leading engineers, scientists, and students to Florida as they define the future of transportation. The state also is hopeful that this research will unlock innovations that will bring safety advances to Florida drivers sooner.

To highlight the role that the State of Florida is playing in the development of automated driving and connected cars, Audi will hold a press conference with Governor Scott on Monday, 28 July. Immediately after the press conference, Governor Scott, Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes and select media will be offered the opportunity to experience the technology first hand in the driver’s seat of the Audi A7.

Source: Green Car Congress

Audi A8 E-Tron Will Use TDI Engine

 

A report in Auto Express says that the upcoming Audi A8 e-tron will use it’s all new 3.0 liter TDI engine to power the plug-in hybrid.This may give Audi an efficiency edge on its PHEV competitors, cars like the Mercedes S Class HYBRID and the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Series plug-in, both of which will employ a gasoline engine instead. The Audi TDI package should beat the 100 grams of CO2 per kilometer target so important to European buyers, and deliver a ton of torque as well.  Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s head of technical development, said that:

The 3.0-litre e-Tron will be used in different cars. The plug-in hybrid is an exciting combination.

The V6 TDI system will likely find its way into the rest of Audi’s larger automobiles like the Q7 and A6 as the company continues its push to offer a PHEV version of every model it sells. Well, almost. The Audi R8 e-tron won’t be offered as a hybrid, but will instead offer an all electric option on special order only. Audi will use a 1.4 liter gasoline engine hybrid in its smaller cars like the A3 e-tron, scheduled for sale in 2015.

The TDI hybrid will be good for 368 hp and 515 lb-ft of torque, and will have an electric-only range of 30 miles or more, joining its smaller sibling, the Audi A6 e-tron, which will go on sale in China first. Fuel economy figures weren’t discussed, but with more than 500 ft-lbs of torque on tap, I’d be happy with anything over 25 MPG.

Source: Gas2

2015 Audi A7 Debuts 326 HP TDI Engine

The 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans was won (once again) by Audi, continuing an almost uninterrupted reign of racing dominance anchored by a powerful turbodiesel engine.  To celebrate its many successes at Le Mans, the 2015 Audi A7 has been fitted with a 326 horsepower 3.0 liter turbodiesel engine.

With that 326 horsepower comes a 38 MPG rating, Audi even managed to squeeze a 20-horsepower overboost feature in at full throttle. That makes it good for 26 horsepower over the standard A7 TDI when you push the pedal to the metal.

The 2015 Audi A7 TDI Sportback Competition (full name) also gets the aluminum treatment, with the doors, hood, and many interior features being made of the lightweight material. Of course all this comes at a hefty price, starting at around 72,000 euro, or about $97,300. For that you also get the S line sport package, which drops the suspension 20 mm with five-spoke 20-inch wheels over 7-inch brake rotors.

As for the new 3.0 liter bi-turbo diesel engine, changes to the camshaft and overboost function make the engine capable of 346 horsepower. The cherry on top though is the 480 ft-lbs of torque that’ll put you back in your seat at full throttle, once that overboost feature kicks in.

See? You can have your cake and eat it too. Just gotta dig a little deeper into those pockets to have it.

Source: Audi

Many Luxury Car Owners Would Buy An Electric Car

Four years ago, many people didn’t take electric vehicles seriously, and certainly not the sorts of people who might buy an expensive luxury automobile. It’s amazing how a few years can completely change perceptions.

A recent study by U.K.-based WeLoveAnyCar found that about 40% of BMW, Mercedes, and Jaguar would buy, or seriously consider buying, an all-electric car. The results were pretty much the same across all three brands, and that’s good news for automakers like Tesla Motors and BMW, who are making a play for the eco-conscious business magnate market before bringing EVs to the wider market, though it does come with a caveat. The survey questioned over 24,000 current luxury car owners, and asked how many of them would buy an all-electric car with a 300-mile driving range. Technically, that car doesn’t exist yet, though 40% of respondents still answered positively at a time when cars like the Tesla Model S and BMW i8 are just hitting the U.K. market.

While 40% responded positively though, that also means some 60% of respondents still aren’t too keen on electric cars. In fact, 12 to 17% of respondents said they’d NEVER buy an electric car, even if all other things like options and performance were equal. Some people are just haters I guess, but that won’t stop the momentum electric vehicles have built in the past few years. After all, we all want what rich people have, and that includes their cars. Tesla alone has made waves in the luxury car world, eating up market share while growing its ambitions to rival brands that have been around for a century or more.

Soon, keepin’ up with the Joneses will mean putting an electric car in your driveway.

Source: Gas2

Volkswagen CrossBlue Plug-In SUV Approved

One of the more practical concept cars to come out of Germany in recent years has been the Volkswagen CrossBlue concepts, specifically the plug-in  SUV. The plug-in SUV offers an electric driving range of about 14 miles, and Volkswagen claimed 35 MPG combined gas mileage. That would make this mid-size SUV as efficient as many mid-size cars.

Volkswagen has approved production of a CrossBlue-based SUV at its Chattanooga, Tennessee production plant, which has been mired in a controversial union battle. The $900 million investment will bring some 2,000 jobs to the area, as well as a much-needed plug-in SUV to Vdub’s lineup.

The CrossBlue-inspired SUV will use the new Volkswagen MQB architecture, which is set to underpin much of the German brand’s lineup in the coming decade. This will give it a lot of powertrain options, from conventional gas and diesel engines, to the plug-in drivetrain of the concept, and possibly even an all-electric model to rival the Tesla Model X (though that will likely be reserved for Audi instead).

Volkswagen is also bringing a new National Research & Development and Planning Center of the Volkswagen Group of America to the areain an effort to better determine the wants and needs of U.S. customers. Volkswagen sales have doubled in the past four years, but their aging fleet of models is in dire need of upgrade, with sales down about 13% in the first half of 2014.

The CrossBlue SUV will offer a 7-passgenger SUV to American customers for the first time, and an efficient one at that without any current rivals. With the completely-redesigned 2015 Volkswagen Golf debuting the MQB architecture in America soon, the brand is hoping sales rebound in a big way as it continues on its quest to become the world’s largest automaker.

Production will take place in unused portions of the factory, and separately, the UAW is looking to form a local auto union, after the narrow defeat of a unionization effort earlier this year.

Source: VW

Audi A3 e-tron Priced at $51,500 in Europe

The first road going Audi plug-in hybrid, the A3 Sportback e-tron, will be released in Europe this winter at a price of €37,900, or about $51,500.

The A3 e-tron combines a 1.4 liter gasoline engine with an electric motor for a total of 204 hp and 258 lb/ft of torque. 0 to 60 MPH comes up in 7.6 seconds on the way to a top speed of 138 mph, and power is transmitted to the front wheels via an Audi DSG paddle shifted unit called the e-S tronic. (Where do manufacturers come up with these bizarro names?) The car is expected to be capable of driving about 20 miles on electric power only using its 8.8 kWh lithium-ion battery.

Audi has put extra engineering resources into the powertrain for hybrid duty. To deal with the stresses of stop/start technology, the 1.4-liter engine uses coated pistons and bearings to ensure it is protected even when called into action from cold, while the electric motor is liquid cooled to protect against overheating.

The A3 e-tron should be hitting American shores sometime in the middle of next year after its European launch, and should proceed a long list of electrified Audi vehicles. What Audi will get the e-tron treatment next?

Source: Gas 2.

The new Audi A8 L PI with v6 engine

The new Audi A8 L PI with v6 engine

The New AudiA8 L (PI) has a lightweight V6 engine that has been redesigned. This lightweight engine technology brings the best that can be provided by the vehicle in its class luxury salon. Smoothness, refinement and steady acceleration provide a special experience in its class.

Standard luxury sedan, the most conspicuous forces in lightweight construction-axle chassis (wheelbase) in the Audi A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro weighs only 1,880 kg or lightest among the competitors in class 4-wheel drive cars (all-wheel drive). Another major factor is the body itself. A special order, named the Audi Space Frame (ASF) made entirely from aluminum and weighs only 231 kg.

The new Audi A8 L PI with v6 engine Dynamic Design

Also looks different impression of dynamic design The Audi A8 L New (PI) which is more expressive. Withdrawn from the bonnet (engine hood), flows down touching the single-frame grille of his, as well as the shape of the front bumper gives the impression that the car more character. Headlights are also not spared from the refinement because it has been presented Matrix LED lighting technology innovation is typical of Audi. As a result, the high beam mode (high-beam) which consists of 25 species of small lights that each individual user can be set as required



The above makes the lighting system can be adapted to the vehicle from the opposite direction which can lead to the illumination light reflected glare which is very precise at the same time still be able to illuminate the other way.

The New AudiA8 L PI also comes with a more luxurious version or type of Luxury. This type of answer consumer demand for premium cars with premium features most captivating.

Consumers are also spoiled by the 12 car color choices, namely Brilliant Black, Havana Black, Phantom Black, Ibis White, Glacier White, Silver, Silver Curve, Moonsoon Grey, Ooloong Grey, Brown Argus, Moonlight Blue, Daytona Grey and 6 interior color choices, namely Black, Grey, Beige Atlas Velvet Beige, Nougat Brown, and Nutmeg Brown.

PT Garuda Mataram Motor also offers Audi Warranty and Free service for three (3) years or the equivalent of 90,000 km (including service and spare parts) in all Audi dealership.

Limited edition Audi R8 GT Spyder with Black Diamond PUR Wheels Luxurious look

Limited edition Audi R8 GT Spyder with Black Diamond PUR Wheels. Luxurious look

Audi R8 GT Spyder with Black Diamond PUR Wheels is a car with a limited edition. This car is said only in the production of 333 units. Audi R8 GT Spider is the most interesting of the other variants of the R8. With a design that is so cool and dynamic. This car also gives the impression of an aggressive and agile. Future generations of the Audi into a modern classic.

Audi R8 GT Spyder is so impressive with Black diamond wheels aftermarket wheels belong PUR. Here are various photos of the Audi R8 GT Spyder white.