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AN AUDI RS 7 has set the record for world’s fast self-driving car, topping 149 mph at Hockhenheim earlier this week, according to the Germany manufacturer.
Using GPS, 3D cameras and stereo imaging, the vehicle completed a flawless lap around the circuit best-known for hosting the Formula One German Grand Prix.
And the whole thing was recorded for the ages, including these terrifying shots of an entirely empty car negotiating the track’s turns:
Afterwards, Audi announced that the RS 7 – nicknamed Bobby – had hit 149 mph during its assault on the famous course, which was impeccable, right down to the parking job:
Celebrating the autonomous driving achievement (which Audi calls “piloted driving”), the German car-maker laid out its vision for the future, which will inspire terror or excitement, depending on your viewpoint.
Making decisions can be tiring. And how many of us have never made a wrong decision while on the road?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could hand over responsibility, together with the stress of everyday traffic, to a system that works perfectly?
You decide:
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To the pub please car
Would you not be better off getting it to take you home from the pub !!
As the car would be at the pub I would guess the return trip was implied also
Darn never thought of that I would have walked to the pub and then got the car to pick me up afterwards. Lol
I wonder will it tell you to shut up when you’re pissed in the back and telling it it should have taken the other route because bla bla bla……..
Wait until you forget to pay the motor tax and it puts car into slow mode.
Wouldn’t win any races – didn’t cross the finish line.
Why did you give the speed in MPH when both the Audi website and the video you’ve posted gave it in KM/H. And we use KM/H in Ireland?
Jaysus john,
You with the ANAL police ?
lol. Maybe a small bit.
was just wondering why the author went to the trouble of translating it from the unit of measurement that we use in Ireland to one that we don’t. It seemed like a lot of effort.
Unless they just copy and pasted it from a US website or something.
This kind of technology could be implemented to kill someone and make it appear like an accident. But DARPA already has this technology surely it hasn’t been used for sinister deeds like, oh I don’t know offing a journalist hmmm !
The positives are plain to see its obvious. But other implications are not as easy to see that’s why I point them out.
You don’t even know me so who are you to assume I live in a negative world ? It’s obvious you live in a assuming world making assumptions about strangers on the internet.
It’s the negative ones that are the problem.
Any “fly by wire” car in America is an imminent death sentence if one dares to criticize the Government.
# Michael Haystings
All technology can be used to do bad things by sinister people. Have to say though the video is proper impressive.
Can’t wait to get one of these.
Fantastic implementation of technology. Impressive but I would never trust any intelligence other than my own to make a decision on the road for me.
It seems human beings will eventually, with time, give over all power and responsibility of decision making to machine intelligence rendering us utterly useless!
You can see it it small doses now nearly. E.G my friend actually Googled while on the M7 how to change a tyre while he looked at his back wheel in absolute tatters. That’s frightening!!!
have your say