Driverless Audi RS7 races around Hockenheim

[bdr529]

Audi took a new RS 7 to Hockenheimring last weekend and was able to successfully navigate its way around the course without anyone driving it. Its fastest lap time was just a few seconds over the two-minute mark.
The lap, which took place just before the DTM finale, was possible thanks to a built-in GPS system that uses WiFi and 3D cameras to ‘see’ the edges of the circuit and determine the best way to navigate the course. With this technology, Audi can learn more about how to better develop driving assists such as adaptive cruise control and active lane assist
http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/wa ... mph-102114

Long version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeWriarFlsU#t=977
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOYsI1cqUrw[/youtube]

[jmfdvm]

Did a human program in the best racing line, or did the car calculate a best line based on a digital map?

[MOWOG]

uses WiFi and 3D cameras to ‘see’ the edges of the circuit and determine the best way to navigate the course.

Excellent question.

It appears from the article that the on-board guidance system made the decision, but that is based solely on the information provided in the report. If that is so, it is a truly noteworthy achievement, one which raises a question or two of its own:

Is a competition between two or more driverless, computer guided cars a "race"? And if so, would Formula One ever embrace such competition???

From the point of view of the fans, we love our favorite drivers and can expound at length on the relative merits of each (and often do! ) But in following the sport for almost 50 years, it is my opinion that many of the teams care only for their beloved race cars. For them, the driver is just a piece of machinery, like an engine or transmission. Before they were banned, the fabled Williams active suspension cars were about 85% car and 15% driver. Why not go all the way?

If that question were ever put to a vote, I can imagine one or more teams being willing to let electronics take over all the driving chores.

35 years ago, Marshall McLuhan said "We become what we behold. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us." In the future, we may look back on this thread and realize that this is when racing as we know it began a dramatic shift toward a brave new world.






Or not. Your mileage may vary. See dealer for details.

[daveyrace]

Here is a piece from Topgear where the car journo has a go in an RS7 themselves as well as being a passenger in the automated one. http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/audi ... 2014-10-17
Interestingly they set a faster lap(1:58.3) than the computer controlled car(2:01.6) despite news reports saying it was faster than a human?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29706473
"Audi - a division of Volkswagen - also put a human behind the wheel of the vehicle for a comparison lap. He took five seconds longer to complete the circuit."

Obviously they would make it a fair test and put an impartial racing driver behind the wheel for comparison "The car is faster than you...can you confirm you understood that message!"

I would have thought that the jump from having cars such as these driving fast round a circuit and having cars 'race' each other in close proximity is quite a big step. A bit different from making these cars safely avoid traffic etc on a road where a larger margin of error is required. However, when they do sort this out I would expect to get some seriously close battles. If one car is more accurate in terms of positioning and distances to other objects(cars) then that car should come out on top in a close race where another would back off.
The more I think about it... This would be great to watch!