Audi's AI:ME concept previews the autonomous city cars of the future

What will the autonomous cars of the future look like? Every brand has its own ideas about the appearance of cars that will be able to drive themselves to some degree, and a lot of them look like scaled-down monorail cars from some industrial exhibition 50 years ago. Audi's idea, on the other hand, looks a lot like an Audi A2, which was a small, upright hatch that battled the likes of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in the 1990s.

Audi is using the China auto show to reveal a concept car meant to showcase the interiors and exteriors of Level 4 autonomous vehicles that are expected to hit the road in a few years, offering autonomous operation in most highway and urban environments but requiring some human input in other circumstances. In short, Level 4 cars will still require drivers, but only for some parts of the journey, and will generally be able to manage all but the most dense city environments or other complicated situations.

"The show car offers a roomy, futuristic interior and capability for Level 4 automated driving. This allows the occupants the freedom to do what they like with their time on board. The Audi AI:ME offers a broad range of high-tech features for communication, entertainment or simply relaxation," Audi said.

The interior of the AI:ME concept still features a steering half-wheel, but our impending Level 4 future is expected to turn the driver space into more of a passenger space, allowing the driver to relax (by answering work emails) on those parts of the journey where driver input will not be needed.

"Audi AI fundamentally changes how automobiles are used and significantly enhances the time spent on board," Audi noted. "The car is increasingly becoming a 'third living space' alongside our homes and workplaces. It is thus only consistent that the Audi designers did not subordinate the interior of the Audi AI:ME to the shape of the body."

Audi says that the seats were inspired by lounge chairs, and when pedals are not in use and the vehicle is in autonomous mode, the driver can rest his or her feet on the supports in the footwells (and answer work emails). When not answering work emails, the passengers can use the VR goggles to watch movies or play games, with the Holoride tech that was shown at CES in 2019 incorporating the vehicle's own movement into the games.

The exterior of the concept, meanwhile, is in the shape of a small MPV or upright hatch with a short, blunt nose and bubble-shaped cabin. The Audi A2 was one such car, and with the debut of electric vehicles, it is expected that this shape may make a comeback, no longer needing a sizable front engine compartment. The emergence of "skateboard" platforms for EVs is expected to free up plenty of passenger space, effectively bringing back tall hatches and crossovers with shorter noses.

"Its height of 1.52 meters (5 feet) offers great advantages in the interior in particular, and gives occupants a sense of ample space, makes it easy to get in and offers excellent headroom," Audi noted. "The large side doors that open in opposite directions and are fastened at the front and back also facilitate getting into the vehicle."

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