As is the majority of the automotive industry at large, Audi is banking on an autonomous future. But Audi is putting its money where its mouth is in a very public way, sending a “piloted” RS7 out for a lap on the Hockenheimring racetrack at the German Touring Car Championship finale on October 19th.
The autonomous Audi RS7 will take to the track live at the event, performing one lap at racing speed. According to a press release, prior testing suggests that the car ought to reach speeds of up to 149 mph around the track, and put in a time of close to 2 minutes per lap, which is on par with a professional racing driver.
To us, the prospect of an autonomous car that can match — or maybe even surpass — the performance of a professional race car driver is another terrifying threat for those who love to get behind the wheel. We don’t know what it is about driving; we simply don’t want to see it lost to smart ass computers. Alas, the march of technology is inexorable. Expect a very triumphant “we told you so” when the autonomous Audi RS7 (hopefully) crashes into a tire wall. While not hurting anyone.
You can watch the race speed lap of the autonomous Audi RS7 live on October 19th at 6:50 am EDT (12:50 CEST) before the finale of the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters).
No Comments yet