Audi Will Become First Company to Test Autonomous Cars in New York

Audi will become the first company to test autonomous vehicles in New York when its demonstration car hits the streets of Albany in mid-June.

New York began accepting applications from companies in May, and Audi was the first to receive approval for the state’s year-long pilot program for autonomous vehicles. Audi will test autonomous cars that meet the Level 3 criterion defined by the Society of Engineers, meaning the vehicles can drive autonomously at posted highway speeds under certain conditions. Two engineers, one in the front seat and another in the back, will monitor a test vehicle at all times for safety purposes.

Audi has already logged thousands of miles with its demonstration car across the U.S. and has a long history of being first to the game in this field. In 2012, for example, Audi was the first automotive manufacturer to receive an autonomous license plate in Nevada, and a few years later, it became the first ever company to receive approval to test autonomous cars in California. More recently, Audi became the first to lap an autonomous car around several race tracks using a self-driving RS 7.

Looking forward, the next-gen Audi A8 coming to market will debut with Level 3 automated capability. The automaker is also preparing robo taxis for navigating urban environments. By 2021, Audi plans to have the technology ready for a small series of driverless city cars.

Source: Audi

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