Audi all set to launch its fully autonomous vehicle by 2021

Audi, part of the VW group, had conducted its annual general meeting last week. While many issues of importance to the company were discussed, one that is more relevant to us should be the list of models which Audi is planning to launch in the near future. Also Audi has plans to focus on future technologies such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving as the way forward.

Audi had revealed that the company is taking autonomous driving very seriously and is developing the allied technologies for the entire Volkswagen group.

In fact, the Audi A8 which is scheduled for launch in 2018 is already has autonomous driving technology as one of its key features. If the news around the Audi A8 are to be believed, then the new generation model should be kitted to offer Level 3 autonomous driving. The luxury marquee brand is already working on driverless vehicles as well which can be used in urban environment. While Audi did not want to throw much light into the specifics, it went as far as to reveal that the fully autonomous driving technology would be ready for use in its production cars in at least a few models by 2021.

Coming to the new models which Audi plans to launch in the foreseeable future, the company had reaffirmed that new generation models of its highly successful SUVs Q4 and A8 will be launched in 2019 other than the A8. Audi had also confirmed that it has plans to launch three battery powered electric vehicles by 2020. Also in pipeline is the plan to electrify at least one model in each of its core line up. In fact, Audi has so much confidence on electric vehicles that it predicts fully or partially electric vehicles to make up one third of its sales by 2025.

Audi is currently focused on launching refreshed A7 and A8 in the near future. This was further reinforced by the statement made by Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler when he said these models will “show the world everything that defines Vorsprung durch Technik and our brand.”