The Audi Aicon Concept will be one of the two concept cars that Audi presents at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The four-door Aicon Concept portrays the brand’s fully autonomous luxury sedan of the future.
With innovations relating to the drivetrain, suspension, digitalization and sustainability of mobility, the Aicon takes us on a giant leap into the future. Its rather spectacular exterior measures over 5 meters in length and over 2 meters in width, making it longer than the A8L. The coupe-shaped roof gives the concept car a dynamic and futuristic look.
Other cool features are the triangular pixel segments that replace conventional lighting on the car. With the on-board technology the car will be able to ‘see’ and drive in the dark without the help of long-range headlights.
However, in the future the interior and user interface will play a larger role of importance. Without a steering wheel and B-pillar, the car’s interior should facilitate comfortable working environment for its passengers. During the Audi Sustainability forum this year we experienced what it would be like riding in such an autonomous vehicle in the future based on a simulator. Without the need to drive, people would gain a whole extra hour per day to work or do other things based on the daily average commute of one hour.
If need be, the Audi Aicon can easily be transformed into a 2+2 seater thanks to an upholstered two-seat bench that is integrated into the rear panel. Luggage space has also been given some thought. An electric drivetrain opens up a variety of opportunities to store luggage at both the front and rear of the car. In total the Aicon offers up to 660 liters of luggage space.
One of the many cool features of the clean interior space is the way passengers interact with the system. Besides a haptic-manual layer, there is also voice control and eye tracking, in which sensors at the front end of the interior track where the passenger is looking.
Power comes from four electric motors that produce a total of 260 kW and 550 Newtonmeters (405.7 lb-ft). Each drives one wheel, enabling electronically controlled, variable quattro all-wheel drive. The powertrain is more adapted towards driving range instead of fast acceleration. Considering the Aicon’s lightweight body, the concept car should be able to reach distances beyond 800 kilometers (497.1 miles) on a single charge.
Further convenience comes in the form of a high-speed charging application. Customers should be able to charge 80% of the car’s battery in under 30 minutes thanks to a high-voltage system with 800 volts. Despite the focus on driving range, Audi ensures that the Aicon delivers ample performance. It is also much more agile than it looks, thanks to two identical steerable axles. Despite its sheer size, the Aicon has a turning radius of only 8.5 meters.
For more information and impressions regarding the Aicon and other new cars at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, make sure to keep an eye on our dedicated news channel!
Strange name a i c o n – – aircon? Or rather -Artificiell Intelligence Creation-