Audi Reveals Self-Driving R8 E-Tron Piloted Driving Vehicle at CES Asia

Audi has revealed the fully electrified version of the new second-generation R8, internally referred to as R8 e-tron piloted driving concept, at the 2015 Consumer Electronic Show Asia. Along with the news of the vehicle's new incarnation is the revelation of the show car's newest and coolest feature -a self-driving capability.

Audi's most recent piloted driving demonstrator physically looks like its predecessor, the R8 e-tron but when examined on a closer look, the new R8 e-tron piloted driving concept reveals a long list of different features from its first version which was presented in this year's Geneva Motor Show.

The vehicle features a lot of highly advanced technologies like a new laser scanner, video cameras, as well as ultrasonic sensors and radar sensors which help the car familiarize its environment. The signals gathered by its high-tech equipment are then transmitted to a so-called driver assistance system which is assigned to manage the car controls, making its autonomous driving capacity possible.

The auto maker however, has not altered the mechanical components of the new Audi. Just like its predecessor, R8 e-tron piloted driving concept still has two separate electric motors, each with 170 kW power outputs which delivers a total of 456 horsepower and 678 foot-pounds of torque jolting the car from 0 - 100 km/h (0 - 62.1 mph) in 3.9 seconds.

The R8 e-tron piloted driving concept can reach 210 km/h (120.5 mph) or 250 km/h (155.3 mph) depending on which tires it is fitted with and a total driving capacity of up to 279 miles.  All these are what the new Audi is capable of doing even without a driver's intervention, thanks to the highly advanced technologies the car is equipped with.

While this car might interest a lot of car enthusiasts out there, the R8 e-tron piloted driving concept is not yet released to the market as what Audi puts it, the vehicle only serves as a "high-tech mobile laboratory."