These findings encourage us to continue working for the future: with self-driving cars such as the Audi Aicon, services like Audi on demand, or networked technology such as Audi traffic-light information,” says Melanie Goldmann, head of Trend Communication at Audi. SUMMARY “Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are changing our traffic systems and cities. This is an age of disruptive changes, artificial intelligence, great quantities of data and sensors, when smart infrastructure and high-performance computers outline new perspectives for efficient future urban mobility solutions. And AVs are appearing at the right time to take traffic management to a new level. But what does that mean for Audi? How do we manage traffic in the changing mobility ecosystems of the future? And, to be more concrete, how many AVs are needed to make the traffic flow noticeably better? What role is played here by the networking of cars with traffic infrastructure, for example with traffic lights? Apart from a quantum leap in terms of road safety, is it really true that we will get more bike paths, parks or playgrounds when self-driving cars navigate with high efficiency – and thus see a truly sustainable ecosystem? And how do people have to use these cars to make the dream come true of a city that puts the focus on people, not on the car? In a nutshell: What’s in it for all of us? For Audi’s strategists and designers, the answers to such questions are highly relevant. Because automobile concepts and services are being developed today – but will have to blend smartly and efficiently with developing mobility systems in the future.” Melanie Goldmann, head of Trend Communication at Audi “We might all agree that automated and driverless cars will change mobility. There will be technical impacts such as higher road capacities, but most probably our mobility behavior will be affected as well. Using cars will be more comfortable and convenient, thus shifting decisions between transport modes towards cars.
