The plan was straightforward: a few laps in an autonomous A7 on VW’s high-speed oval. However, technology, as it often does, had other plans. A glitch in the adaptive cruise control system sidelined the car. Quick fixes were attempted – the usual tech remedies of powering down and restarting – but to no avail. Disappointment led us towards the hotel, only for engineers to triumphantly solve the issue halfway there. They met us on the road, and just like that, I found myself about to experience something entirely new.
This wasn’t going to be a controlled track environment. My first time behind the wheel of a self-driving car was about to unfold on a busy street, amidst real traffic, real people, and under the cloak of night. The specific challenge was traffic signals, something the Highway Pilot system in this particular model wasn’t programmed to fully process, designed as it was for highway driving. Initially, I used piloted mode for cruising, ready to switch to manual as we approached intersections. Yet, Lipinski, one of the engineers, suggested a bolder approach: let the car handle everything. It was programmed to maintain safe distances and avoid collisions, after all. It was a test even Audi’s engineers hadn’t attempted in this specific scenario, and I was to be the first. Lipinski’s confidence in the technology was contagious.
At the very next traffic light, the technology demonstrated its capability in a way that genuinely surprised everyone. The A7 smoothly and confidently brought itself to a complete stop, maintaining a safe distance – about two car lengths – from the vehicle ahead. “We didn’t know it would do that!” Lipinski exclaimed, a mixture of excitement and surprise in his voice. This moment underscored a crucial aspect of self-driving technology: its remarkable advancement is still paired with an element of the unknown. It functions impressively, but the full extent of its capabilities remains, in some ways, uncharted territory. It holds the potential to surprise us, both positively and perhaps, in unforeseen ways.
Safety and Comfort Take the Wheel
Coming to terms with relinquishing control to the car was a surprisingly quick process, taking only a few minutes. Once that mental shift occurred, the most noteworthy aspect of the drive wasn’t adrenaline or thrills, but something far more subtle: boredom. And that, in essence, is the point of piloted driving. It’s about prioritizing safety and ensuring comfort.
Every decision made by the autonomous system is rooted in two fundamental questions: Is the action possible – meaning safe and legal – and is it beneficial – contributing to a more comfortable ride? The intricate task in developing this technology lies in finely tuning the system’s ability to assess and balance these two crucial factors. Whether it’s accelerating, decelerating, changing lanes, or navigating turns, smoothness and seamlessness are key. During my drive, I witnessed this firsthand when the A7 effortlessly maneuvered into a relatively small opening in the right lane to allow a faster vehicle to pass. The execution was seamless. This level of decision-making and precise maneuvering is undeniably advanced, yet requires further refinement before it can be deemed ready for widespread commercial deployment. Audi’s development team is still diligently working through the myriad of situations a self-driving car might encounter, striving to find the perfect equilibrium between maintaining a steady, predictable course and making subtle adjustments to react to every minor detail detected by its sensors.
As initial excitement gave way to a sense of routine – the seemingly endless stretch of I5 followed by I15 blurring into one – the appeal of Highway Pilot as a genuinely desirable feature for drivers became clear. It strongly suggests that Audi, along with other automakers, is pursuing the correct strategy by introducing autonomous technology incrementally, feature by feature. The knowledge that I could instantly regain manual control, coupled with the familiar presence of a steering wheel in my hands and pedals under my feet, significantly eased the transition to being driven by a robot. It feels like an evolved, more sophisticated version of the adaptive cruise control systems we’re already accustomed to. In this context, the A7 isn’t simply a self-driving car; it’s a luxury sedan enhanced with capabilities that, with driver approval, can make driving safer, easier, and more relaxing. As Schlinkheider aptly put it, “Our experience is that our customer wants to accept first and understand first what they are getting, and what the limitations are as well. Accept our function, and learn first how it works, and get used to it.” This gradual, user-centric approach seems crucial for the successful adoption of self-driving car technology.
In conclusion, my first experience with a self-driving car was eye-opening. It revealed a technology that is both remarkably advanced and still on a developmental journey. The unexpected traffic light stop highlighted its surprising capabilities, while the overall experience underscored the focus on safety and comfort. The gradual introduction of these features, prioritizing user understanding and acceptance, appears to be the most pragmatic path forward for making self-driving cars a mainstream reality. The future of driving, it seems, is arriving in measured steps, promising a blend of automation and control that aims to enhance the driving experience for everyone.
