Audi has unveiled its latest design study, the Audi Aicon concept car, which features no steering wheel or pedals, since its an autonomous car. The Aicon concept is also a full electric car that can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge.
The Audi Aicon concept is a 2+2 four-door electric sedan with a style that is a nice departure from the conservative styling of today’s Audi sedans, like the new A8. It measures 17.9-feet long with a width of almost 7 feet and a height of almost 5 feet. This is one big sedan, even its wheelbase is 9.4-inches longer than the new Audi A8.
Without the need for a large engine, the exterior design clearly focuses on the large interior. Large glass surfaces at the front and rear as well as the significantly convex side windows create a bright expanse of space for the travelers. Even its large 26-inch wheels are pushed as far outward as possible to give the Aicon concept a massive interior.
Since it’s a concept, there are unique tricks, like headlights and taillights that are made of fully digital surfaces made out of hundreds of triangular pixel segments. Grouped around the Singleframe are large light fields, in which – as at the rear – more than 600 3D pixels are arranged in space. The large surfaces and high pixel count enable versatile graphics, animations and information visualizations in any color. For example, the Aicon concept uses animations on its display surfaces to warn pedestrians or cyclists of dangerous situations.
Horizontal stripes of light move from the bottom up when the car accelerates and in the opposite direction during braking. Their speed increases or decreases in sync with that of the car.
Inside the Audi Aicon concept is a 2+2 seater with two individual seats in the front and a two-seat bench that’s integrated into the rear panel. The two front seats can slide back and forth up to 20 inches. The seats don’t slide on rails, but rather on a platform covered in high-pile carpet that can be moved longitudinally, and on which the passengers’ feet also rest. The individual seats can also be swiveled up to 15 degrees.
Once inside the front display lights up with a welcome message. PIA, the electronic vehicle assistant, recognizes the passenger by their phone and activates all of their personal settings. There are custom settings for the air conditioning and seating position, interior light color and the layout of the infotainment system.
The Audi Aicon concept is powered by four electric motors that generate a total 349 horsepower and 406 lb-ft. There’s an electric motor in each wheel, giving the concept all-wheel drive. You can drive up to 500 miles on a single charge and once the battery is depleted you can recharge it fast thanks to an 800-volt system that can charge the battery up to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes.
Source: Audi
