The cooperative attitude of “Jack” is especially apparent when other vehicles want to merge into the lane, such as on an expressway. Here the test car decides—based on the selected driving profile—whether to accelerate or brake, depending on which is best suited to handling the traffic situation harmoniously for all road users. Another new feature: Upon request, the navigation system can compute a route with the largest proportion of piloted driving sections.

The brain of piloted driving is the central driver assistance domain controller, or zFAS. (Earlier post.) The information supplied by all sensors—including the signals from the 3D cameras, the laser scanner and the radar and ultrasonic sensors—is permanently fed into and processed by this module. With its tremendous computing power, the zFAS is capable of continuously comparing the data from the vehicle sensor systems with the model of the road space and its surroundings.

This model represents the prevailing traffic situation as accurately as possible. It lets the zFAS calculate upcoming maneuvers in advance, taking a look into the future, so to speak.

Audi developed zFAS in collaboration with TTTech, Mobileye, nVidia and Delphi; Delphi has been awarded the series production contract. The second-generation zFAS is much smaller than its predecessor, as well as more powerful.

Piloted driving offers greater safety, more efficient utilization of the transportation infrastructure and more relaxation time for the driver. Audi has already derived systems for assisted driving from the tested technologies. Audi is currently offering production car technologies such as the function for assisted driving in traffic jams in the Audi A4 and Audi Q7.

Infrastructure and communications. In the future, cars and the infrastructure will communicate with one another more intensively. Common information interfaces are an important condition for this, so that the benefits of piloted driving can be better utilized on expressways.

In the future, information on variable-message traffic signs, for example, will be digitally transmitted into the car in order to assist the traffic flow. In addition, Audi is defining and testing elements of the future communications standard 5G together with IT partners. Car-to-X communication immediately enables piloted driving cars to use paved road shoulders when these are temporarily opened.

Another step forward is Car-to-Car communication between automobiles that are traveling on the same routes. They can report on hazardous points and accidents in real time. The driving speeds of other road users operating with piloted driving are then automatically adjusted to the potential hazard.

The local infrastructure plays a special role for piloted driving on the expressway. In addition to sensors in the car, signals from the environment give the driver a precise preview of the road ahead. Audi’s partners for the digital test site on the A9 autobahn—announced by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure—are testing the internal composition and modified material structure of roadside posts.

These are to be designed to reflect the radar sensors of cars even from greater distances. In addition, project participants within the scope of the test parameters are studying special traffic signs that allow the test vehicles to localize their positions with high precision within the various driving lane markings.

For most customers, the complexity of traffic situations significantly intensifies again along the route segment from the expressway exit to city zones. Audi is researching and developing another test site for this so-called “first mile” near the redesigned autobahn exit “Ingolstadt-Süd.”

From 2017, Audi, together with the city of Ingolstadt, will be testing construction methods such as the use of different types of pavement as well as technical solutions such as the use of sensors in intersection zones. Piloted driving research cars from Audi are already being incorporated into the design of the new infrastructure. Test operation should begin in 2018.

Resources

• Schmidt, K., Schulze, A., and Richter, K., “Resource Management Processes for Future Vehicle Electronics,” SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-0039 doi: 10.4271/2016-01-0039