Frankfurt Motor Show : Aicon, Audi’s Autonomous Concept Car

Alternating every second year with the Paris Motor Show, the Frankfurt Motor Show is the chance for manufacturers from the world over to unveil their latest concepts. And this year, the mood is electric ! Even if every stand is showing something new, the brand with the Four Rings stands out with the Aicon prototype. It’s a car that dispenses with the wheel and the pedals.

Aicon, the autonoumous star concept of the Frankfurt Show

With its strongly inclined silhouette, this 4-door saloon car is equipped with a system of variable LED lamps. The battery allows you to cover distances of between 430 and 500 miles at 130 mph, after only one wireless recharge. Its laser and radar sensor system also detects pedestrians and obstacles present on the road so as to safely anticipate their movements. Audi has also announced that a drone will be able to provide extra light on nocturnal outings.

The vehicle interior is entirely automatised and responds to voice recognition. © DR

The streamlined Aicon measures 18 ft so it can easily slip into urban traffic. © DR

A host of innovations on board

Once inside, the ergonomics of the Audi Aicon are perfect thanks to its transparent roof. With the glass surfaces in front and behind, as well as lateral windows, the passenger area has been greatly increased. The 4 electric motors are silent and the dashboard plays host to a global digital surface under the windscreen. The car springs into action thanks to a smartphone application which can regulate your personal settings. The door zone is specially lit and the padded chairs, with head-rests which transform into arm-rests, are more like recliners for your comfort, to relax, work or simply watch a film during your journey in the car of the future.

The lighting in this entirely transparent car can be regulated according to your needs. © DR

In front as well as behind, LED lamps project their beams onto the road. © DR