2018 Audi A8 Driver Assistance Systems. 2018 Audi A8 Driver Assistance Systems.
The Audi AI (remote) parking pilot and the Audi AI remote garage pilot work both intelligently and conveniently. The sedan can even correctly park in a garage in which the vehicle must drive in an arc. Inside the garage, the A8 can approach very close to the walls and obstructions such as bikes – or it will interrupt entry if there is not enough space for the car. This special function benefits especially from the innovative laser scanner and is not available in any other competitor model.
Backing up these new high-end systems is the central driver assistance controller (zFAS), which is making its debut in the new A8. About the size of a tablet, it continually merges the signals from all sensors into a differentiated model of the surroundings through its high-powered processors. Fully equipped, the new A8 has 24 sensors:
twelve ultrasonic sensors on the front, sides and rear,
four 360-degree cameras on the front, rear and exterior mirrors,
one front camera on the top edge of the windscreen,
four mid-range radar sensors at the vehicle’s corners,
one long-range radar sensor on the front,
one laser scanner on the front,
one infrared camera (night vision assist) on the front.
The laser scanner, employed by Audi for the first time in the A8, fans over an area of about 80 meters (262.5 ft) in length, with a wide aperture of 145 degrees. Within this range, the scanner detects the exact contours of objects, even in conditions of darkness. In bad weather, the windshield is automatically cleaned and heated. The special capabilities of the laser scanner and the central environmental model in the central driver assistance controller benefit the navigation system, in addition to the Audi AI systems, since the sensor data merger locates the car to within its exact lane. The driver assistance systems react to objects with even greater precision and earlier than in the predecessor model when they detect the end of a traffic backup and initiate braking, for example.
With over 40 driver assistance systems, the fourth generation of the A8 scores an all-time best in the competition – from the parking space to the highway, they make driving even more comfortable, with greater confidence and safety. Audi groups the assistance systems in the three packages Tour, Park and City, with the Tour package standard in Germany. Customers opting for the Audi AI assist package plus obtain all three packages and also the Audi AI remote garage pilot.
The central system in the Tour assist package is the adaptive cruise assist (ACA). It is a progression from the adaptive cruise control (ACC) of the previous model and also integrates a lane assist function and traffic jam assist. The system keeps the new A8 within the speed range of zero to 250 km/h (155.3 mph) by accelerating and decelerating to the desired following distance and helps the driver keep within the lane through slight torque interventions in the steering. The constriction assist, a subfunction of the ADA, guides the vehicle longitudinally through construction sites and similar zones.
Combining the adaptive drive assist with the efficiency assist promotes an economical driving style. The system analyzes navigation data, Car-to-X messages and camera images, and instructs the driver as to when accelerating is appropriate. The Audi pre sense front safety system helps avoid front-end collisions and minimize the severity of their consequences. It incorporates a warning and braking function for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
The Tour package also includes the turn assist and collision avoidance assist. Turn assist monitors the lane of oncoming traffic when turning across it, thus helping to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle. It also detects any oncoming vehicles turning across the lane being used by the A8.
The Audi AI Park assist package comprises the Audi AI (remote) parking pilot and the wide-angle 360 degree cameras that make maneuvering safer. The driver can have various views of the car’s immediate surroundings displayed on the on-board monitor, to some extent with superimposed guide lines.
The newly developed crossing assist is part of the City assist package. If the mid-range radars (with a measuring range of about 75 meters (246.1 ft)) at the vehicle’s corners detect critical cross traffic in front of the car, the system warns the driver and makes a brake application if need be. The new A8 also alerts the driver to risks when changing lanes.
Another feature of the City package is the pre sense 360° safety system. It detects collision hazards all around the car and initiates targeted preventive measures – whether a full brake application, adjusting the seats or tightening the belts.
