Audis that drive themselves took another step closer to reality this week when an A7 Sportback drove itself almost 900km in real-world conditions across California.
The German prestige car maker is committed to launching autonomous vehicle technology in 2017, paired with the new-generation Audi A8, and used the heavily-promoted A7 drive in the US to demonstrate that "the era of automated driving is nearly here".
That Audi allowed journalists to participate in the trial run shows a growing confidence in its self-driving technology, even if the journey involved mostly freeway 'driving' and countless lane changes and overtaking manoeuvres on public roads in regular traffic.
Simply put, the specially equipped A7 accelerates, brakes, steers and signals automatically, thanks to a complex sensor and control system that Audi says is "close to production ready".
Users engage the autonomous driving mode by holding down two buttons on the lower two spokes of the steering wheel (see image). After a 100km hands-free stint behind the wheel, German journalist Jurgen Schmieder said: "I reached a point where I trusted the car more than I trust myself".
Limited to a top speed of 110km/h, the advanced A7 prototype combines adaptive cruise control and satellite-navigation data with a range of new sensory systems, including side assist sensors and a pair of mid-range radar sensors fore and aft that scan sideways for a 360 degree view.
There are also laser scanners that deliver more "static and dynamic" detail to the car's computer brain, along with several other cameras including a new 3D front camera.
All this allows the car to get around without driver input, but naturally there are several safeguards and alerts that require the driver to resume control of the vehicle in some situations.
If it needs assistance, the car will activate multiple audio and visual warnings to coax the driver into action. Failing that, it will flick on the hazard lights and come to a complete stop in an emergency lane "in most instances", says Audi.
The German prestige car company wants to be the first automotive manufacturer to offer an autonomous car and reckons its self-driving technology will perform better than most human motorists, improving safety while reducing CO2 emissions.
Audi says that the "cost structure for vehicle production" is almost finalised, but don't expect it to be cheap.
"The test drive from the west coast of California to Las Vegas demonstrates our leadership role in piloted driving," declared Audi's technical development chief Dr Ulrich Hackenberg.
Nevertheless, Audi will face stiff competition from the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Google, which are also racing to produce autonomous cars for consumers, although liability and local transport legislation is likely to remain the final stumbling block.
Audi has also proved its self-driving systems can work at higher speeds, after an RS 7 lapped the Hockenheimring race track in Germany at speed.
The world's smartest Audi will complete its latest journey when it arrives at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where Audi will stage two world premieres.