Audi AI:Trail Concept crashes IAA 2019 party with drone lights, hammock seats

Audi has taken the wraps off the AI:Trail SUV, the fourth design study in its AI range which already includes the Aicon, AI:Me, and AI:Race (a.k.a. PB18 e-tron).

The concept car packs some downright amazing technical solutions, such as huge transparent panels acting as displays for the side view cameras. The windshield and the rear windows can be lowered at a push of a button, and the rear seats are made of mesh that you can detach from the framing as use as a hammock. The cabin is laid out for four passengers, and there are automatically extending running boards for an extra bit of comfort getting in and out.

Traditional headlights get dumped in favor of removable autonomous flashlights, and there are five quadcopters fulfilling the functions of high and low beam lights. According to audi, the quadcopters fly ahead of the car and light up the road, but return and land on its roof or trunk lid every now and then for a brief wireless charge-up.

The cameras feed their video streams onto the main driver’s display and may also simultaneously broadcast it via social networks. Navigational hints and directions are being projected directly on the road by means of Augmented Reality.

In terms of length (4,150 mm / 13.62 ft.), the SUV comes closest to the compact crossover vehicle class, but its impressive height (1,670 mm / 5,48 ft.), 22” wheels, 850mm (33.2”) tires, 340 mm (13.3”) of ground clearance, and the ability to pass water up to 0.5 m (20 inches) deep make it a full-fledged SUV.

The AI:Trail sports a body made of aluminum, carbon fiber and high-tensile steel, resulting in a curb weight as low as 1,750 kilograms (3,860 lbs) even with the traction battery installed.

The SALE Level 4 self-driving feature enables the car to ride unattended on properly marked streets and highways, but driver assistance is still required in particularly challenging situations. The reported driving range amounts to 250 km (155 miles) in cross-country mode and between 400 and 500 km (250 – 310 miles) on smooth asphalt. The powertrain delivers 435 hp (324 kW) to the wheels, and the maximum speed is capped at 130 km/h (81 mph).