Audi designing future safety tech to act politely when taking control

It was only a couple years ago that collision detection tech was reserved for luxury yachts like a Mercedes, and out of reach for the masses. Yet today, such driver’s assistance features have filtered down to mainstream rides like a Honda Accord. And as they get more sophisticated, automakers push the envelope in not only how much the car intervenes, but also in how comfortable drivers are entrusting their well-being to the binary hands.

For example, the newest EyeSight (camera-based) system from Subaru will hit the brakes when it senses an imminent collision at 30 mph, up from 19 mph. It's a matter of time before such software can intervene at freeway speeds.

Audi approached the issue with a different tack, as I experienced in Audi Urban Future Initiative (AUIA) demo last month. The company showcased the fruits of its collaboration with UC San Diego and USC, promising a suite of advancements that include predicting when parking spots become available, anticipating traffic jams through analyzing traffic flow data, and a heads-up display that monitors blind spots. Audacious aims aside, what was most promising was what the Audi A6 test car didn’t do — scream and throw a tantrum when it thought the driver was doing something wrong.