Audi shows self-driving version of R8 e-tron with zfas on-board computer

Audi has shown a self-driving concept version of the R8 e-tron. Thanks to the presence of the zfas on-board computer and numerous sensors, the electric car should be able to drive autonomously. The self-driving mode is manually switched on and off by the driver.

The concept vehicle was shown by Audi at the CES Asia trade show. The German car manufacturer has taken the previously presented R8 e-tron as a basis and equipped it with various electronics to enable autonomous driving by continuously analyzing the environment. For example, the electric car is equipped with a new laser scanner. Cameras have also been incorporated into the vehicle, as well as ultrasonic sensors and radar modules on the front and rear of the R8 e-tron.

All information from the sensors is processed by the zfas on-board computer. Zfas, which stands for zentrales Fahrer Assistenz Steuergerät, is currently the size of a small laptop, but Audi wants to further reduce the electronics size in the future. Furthermore, the car manufacturer states that zfas, in which hardware from Nvidia is processed, is a modular system and can therefore be expanded in the future with new technology for autonomous driving of vehicles.

Audi has equipped the R8 e-tron with a 92 kWh battery that offers a range of approximately 450 km. The two 170kW engines can accelerate the R8 e-tron from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Depending on the tires fitted, a top speed of 210 to 250 km/h can be achieved.

Although it is still a concept model, Audi, like other manufacturers, is working hard on a vehicle that can move partially or completely autonomously in traffic. At the CES in January, Audi already showed an A7 in which a zfas system was mounted and recently a converted Audi SQ5 managed to complete a 5500 km drive independently.