This amazing Audi is Robby. Robby is a 2016 Audi RS7 that can drive itself—and it is amazing. As the successor to Bobby, Audi’s original racetrack-circling autonomous RS7, Robby has the edge in weight as it is 882 pounds lighter than Bobby. Robby is all the better to rip around at high speeds, shaming human drivers with its cold precision. Robby also has the distinction of being the first self-racing Audi to put tire to track in the U.S. since the autonomous Pikes Peak–climbing TT of a few years ago, having just torn it up at Sonoma Raceway in California.
In Sonoma, Robby took to the track and completed a 12 turn, 2.5 mile course in 2 minutes and 1.01 seconds. The future of Audi is extremely bright!
Remember Bobby? “Robby’s” sibling, “Bobby,” lapped the Hockenheimring at speeds up to 240 kph (149 mph). Audi said the car was set up to take corners like a professional race driver, and even generated cornering forces of up to 1g on the German circuit. This amazing feat was huge for Audi and now they have even surpassed it with the accomplishment of Bobby.
Earlier this year, I recapped the story of Jack, the road-going autonomous Audi A7 who traveled from California to Las Vegas CES covering 500 miles with some help from human drivers. Jack drove a speed of 80 mph and was on display at CES for all to celebrate the amazing accomplishment.
“In Sonoma we brought the Audi RS7 piloted driving concept lap after lap to the physical limit, and in constant precision. The car reached lap times that were better than those of some experienced sport riders,” said Thomas Müller, Head of Development for Braking, Steering, and Driver Assistance Systems at Audi.
Audi, has said it will methodically make piloted driving systems available to consumers in a step-by-step process. The first of the company’s highly automated systems to be released will be the next generation A8 Traffic Jam Pilot System, which will be tailored to independently drive in congested highway traffic at up to 37 miles per hour.
This amazing feat for Audi has proven that the future is moving in one direction: forward. I am excited to see what their next endeavor may be. Stay tuned for the next one!
