The First Autonomous Roadtrip

If you claim to like cars, you have to go on at least one road trip. The experience will not only enable you to see different landscapes, but it will also create a special bond between you and your car, since it will become the only constant thing in an ever-changing environment.

GPS builder Delphi is about to embark on a long trip that will span the entire length of the United States in a very special Audi S Q5; instead of actually driving, the engineers will let the car drive itself. This is the autonomous car's ultimate test, according to Delphi.

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Since the SUV will travel about 5,600 km, the data collected during the trip will be quite varied: urban driving, changing weather, traffic, road hazards… According to the manufacturer, some of these situations can’t be recreated in a lab. However, cars in the real world frequently see them, which is why the computer must be able to recognize and react if they arise.

The autonomous Audi SQ5 will depart from San Francisco on March 22nd. If you are driving in the United States and come across a Delphi-branded SUV in which all the occupants are sleeping, don’t worry, the computer is driving.