Audi Q7 Deep Learning concept: Artificial Intelligence for an autonomous Q7

Audi has partnered with US technology company NVIDIA to create an autonomous Artificial Intelligence Q7 which will be on sale by 2020.

Every car maker in the world wants to create an autonomous car, although most are looking at 2025 before Level 4 autonomous cars – ones that really can drive for you – are viable.

So Audi’s declaration that they are working with US tech firm NVIDIA (which you probably know best for building the graphics card in your PC) on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for their cars which will deliver Level 4 Autonomous Driving by 2020, is a bit of a surprise.

Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Audi has a Q7 test car fitted with NVIDIA’s AI running around a track in the car park, which it apparently learned in just a few days.

The Q7 Deep Learning Concept uses a front-mounted tw-megapixel camera which feeds images to the NVIDIA processor which in turn manages the car’s controls.

Audi are convinced that AI for piloted driving is the way forward, and is working to find the best machine learning solution.

Scott Keogh, Audi of America President, said:

Audi drivers know the pinnacle of performance and technology. In our mutual pursuit for safer roads, the partnership between Audi and NVIDIA will expand to deep learning and artificial intelligence to bring higher automation onto the road more quickly.

If Audi and NVIDIA manage to deliver cars you can buy with full level 4 autonomy by 2020, it really is a big deal – just three years away.