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Following the huge technical strides in automated driving, Audi has announced the Audi AI Traffic Jam Pilot, which is slated to be implemented on the new Audi A8, so that you can let the car take over when traffic slows down to a crawl.

The first in the world to feature SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) level 3 conditional automation, the Audi AI is capable of handling the vehicle in traffic jams or in slow-moving highway traffic of up to 60 km/h – thus freeing up the driver’s attention in slow traffic.

Despite headway in innovation, most cars remain at SAE level 1 (cruise control) or 2 (Tesla-like assistance that includes a degree of collision avoidance and ability to stay in a lane). Unlike the Tesla and other cars that feature level 2 autonomy, the Audi AI promises capabilities that allow drivers to take their hands off the steering, feet off the accelerator, and eyes off the road – albeit under limited circumstances (on highways, and below 60 km/h). Once the system is activated, an in-car camera checks the status of the driver, issuing prompts to ensure that the driver is able to resume control immediately, as would be the case should congested highway traffic opens up above 60 km/h.

The Audi AI will be implemented in the new Audi A8 incrementally, and is subject to the legal situations of respective countries.