This is the insane Audi Aicon concept car.
It’s a fully-autonomous electric concept vehicle and the crazy thing is, it doesn’t have any pedals or a steering wheel.
Supercar Blondie’s Tuesday Le Roux just got an inside look at it!
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The first thing you’ll notice about the Audi Aicon concept is its futuristic exterior and the sheer size of it.
One thing the Aicon doesn’t lack is the use of LED lighting tech.
Instead of employing traditional headlights, it adopts digital display surfaces featured at the front and rear of the vehicle.
These display surfaces comprise hundreds of 3D triangle-shaped pixels which actually represent Audi’s AI symbol.
They don’t just look good, they were designed to serve an important purpose too.
Hidden behind the pixels is a radar system that monitors where other cars are on the road to ensure the vehicle keeps a safe distance.
Not only that, but it monitors for pedestrians too.
As well as the absence of door handles and wing mirrors, another noticeable feature of the Audi Aicon is its size.
It’s over 5.4m in length, with a height of just over 1.5m and a width of 2.1m.
As you can imagine, a four-door 2+2 with those proportions must mean the interior’s roomy.
Using voice command, the Aicon’s suicide doors open to reveal a spacious cabin that’s in clear view as there’s no B-pillar.
There’s a bench seat for rear occupants, while the two front seats look like they belong in a private jet.
As well as swiveling like arm chairs, the front seats also move back and forth, with the carpet beneath them shifting, too.
Now, how about that dash?
The most noticeable distinction offered by the Audi Aicon is the lack of a steering wheel and pedals.
It’s been designed with level five automation in mind, or, in other words, full automation.
We’re not entirely sure how we’d feel about stepping into a fully-automated vehicle and letting go of control.
But, in fifty years, this may be the norm.
New technologies throughout history have often seemed a little frightening until they become commonplace.
And level five automation may be no different.
It does feel strange when you’re sat in the driver’s seat and there are no controls in front of you.
But, the interior quickly comes to life when the front display lights up.
PIA, the car’s electronic vehicle assistant, recognizes the passenger by their phone and activates all of their personal settings.
There are custom settings for the air conditioning and seating position, interior light color, and the layout of the infotainment system.
All that’s left to do is input a destination into the car’s navigation system and off you go.
So, what’s underneath the hood.
The all-electric Audi Aicon has four electric motors on the front and rear axles, with energy storage units integrated below the floor.
The four electric motors produce a total of 348 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque.
Even charging has been reduced to a minimum, with an 800-volt battery providing a range of around 700-800 kilometers (435-497 miles) on a single charge.
And apparently, it takes less than half an hour to charge the vehicle up to 80 percent.
We’d love to see something like the Audi Aicon hit the market.
As to how much it’d cost – who knows.
But with innovative technology, it would likely feature a hefty price tag.
Let’s just wait and see…
