Audi’s fully automated AI:ME concept vehicle has been revealed at CES. It is said to represent a personal “third living space” alongside homes and workplaces, that is familiar with the desires and needs of its users.
Passengers can use eye tracking to intuitively communicate with the show car and have it order their favorite food, for example. They can also enjoy a wellness experience in the AI:ME. A pair of VR goggles in the car enables the occupants to enjoy a virtual flight across a mountain landscape. The technology adapts virtual content to the movements of the vehicle in real time. The result, Audi says, is that passengers can fully relax and get away from their hectic day-to-day lives.
Future AI deployments are also being showcased in the “Audi Intelligence Experience”. In addition to Audi’s current self-learning navigation system, further use of AI will enable the car to conduct an analysis of the functions and settings that its user prefers, ranging from the seat position, media, route guidance and temperature to the fragrance of the interior.
Meanwhile, a navigation arrow that points into the exact side road where the destination is located will soon become a reality thanks to a 3D mixed reality head-up display (HUD) that Audi has developed with Samsung. As with a 3D television, two views are generated of each picture: one pixel for the left eye and the neighboring pixel for the right. To the driver, the pictures of the 3D mixed reality HUD appear to be floating at a distance of 8-10m (26-33ft); through clever representation, the apparent distance is even increased to over 70m (230ft). The advantage, Audi claims, is that the eyes – accustomed to a long-range view – do not have to refocus.
Finally, a transparent “display on demand” is being shown. The screen is 15cm (6in) high and 122cm (48in) wide, and partially embedded into the instrument panel. It has two layers: a black layer and a transparent OLED display that provides an unobstructed view of the road when not showing information.
