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Audi Self-Driving Car Gets First Permit In California

Computer-driven cars have been testing their skills on California roads for more than four years - but until now, the Department of Motor Vehicles wasn't sure just how many were rolling around. That changed Tuesday, when the agency issued testing permits that allowed three companies to dispatch 29 vehicles onto freeways and into neighborhoods - with a human behind the wheel in case the onboard computers make a bad decision. The German automaker Audi was first in the state to receive a self-driving car permit and already has plans to test drive an autonomous A7 around the Bay Area, according to the Los Angeles Times. These may be the cars of the future, but for now they represent a tiny fraction of California's approximately 32 million registered vehicles. Google's souped-up Lexus SUVs are the biggest fleet, with 25 vehicles. Mercedes and Volkswagen have two vehicles each, said Bernard Soriano, the DMV official overseeing the state's "autonomous vehicle" regulation-writing process. A "handful" of other companies are applying for permits, he said. The permits formally regulate testing that already was underway. Google alone is closing in on 1 million miles. The technology giant has bet heavily on the vehicles, which navigate using sophisticated sensors and detailed maps. Finally, government rules are catching up. In 2012, the California Legislature directed the DMV to regulate the emerging technology. Rules that the agency first proposed in January went into effect Tuesday. Among them: - Test drivers must have a sparkling driving record, complete a training regimen and enroll in a program that informs their employer if they get in an accident or are busted for driving under the influence off hours. - Companies must report to the state how many times their vehicles unexpectedly disengage from self-driving mode, whether due to a failure of the technology or because the human driver takes over in an emergency. They also must have insurance or other coverage to pay for property or personal injury claims of up to $5 million. California passed its law after Nevada and Florida and before Michigan. The federal government has not acted, and national regulations appear to be years away. It's impossible to know the total number of self-driving cars being tested on public roads because, unlike California and Nevada, Michigan does not require special permits to test self-driving cars on public roads.

2017 Audi A4 Prestige is round 2 of our long-term test

The first of our long-term Audi sampler platter, a Glacier White metallic 2017 A4 Premium Plus, has already departed from the fleet. Replacing that mid-grade model is a range-topping 2017 Audi A4 Prestige wrapped in a beautiful shade of Moonlight Blue metallic paint. At first glance, aside from the color, not much appears to be different between the two models. Here's what's changed. What we got The Prestige trim starts at $46,850 and sits atop the A4 range. The only way to go up is to step into the new S4, but that dish comes later. The A4 Prestige comes with all of the expected trimmings - a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four making 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Quattro all-wheel drive - along with most of the features from the Premium Plus package such as LED headlights and a 3D Bang & Olufsen sound system. Prestige extras include parking sensors with a surround view camera, a full-color heads-up display, LED interior lighting, and bits from the technology package such as Audi virtual cockpit, MMI navigation, and extra parking sensors. The technology package was a $3,250 option on our first A4. The biggest difference between the two models is the availability of certain options. Only the Prestige can be equipped with the warm weather package, the adaptive dampening suspension, and the driver assistance package with adaptive cruise control and active lane assist. We passed on these in order to keep things similar to our long-term Jaguar XE. We added 19-inch wheels with 245/35ZR19 Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 summer tires because Michigan isn't cold and desolate all year round. That said, we did check the box for the cold weather package with heated seats at all four corners and a heated steering wheel. The final option was the sport package that adds a black headliner, sharper suspension, and four-way power lumbar support. All in, the new A4 rings up at $51,575, just less than $2,000 more than the $49,825 Premium Plus, as the latter was equipped with the now-unavailable $1,100 First Edition package. What we skipped We decided once again to skip the manual transmission. While it may inject a little more fun into an already enthusiastic car, few shoppers actually opt for a three-pedal setup. With that in mind, we chose the excellent seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, a no-cost option. We also decided to keep things simple and passed on the driver's assistance package.

Audi E-Tron vs. Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X: How they compare on paper

The all-electric crossover segment is suddenly heating up. Tesla was first to market with its Model X, and the California-based automaker has a several-year head start on the rest of the field. But now it has competition, with the Jaguar I-Pace already hitting dealerships across the globe and the just-announced Audi E-Tron hot on their heels. We decided to see how Audi's new entrant compares with its British and American rivals, so we downloaded their spec sheets (at least those that are available) and dumped them all into the spreadsheet you see below. As you'll soon find out, there are lots of similarities between these three electric crossovers, but each has a unique selling point or two with which to entice buyers. View 24 Photos Performance Note that we're using the Tesla Model X 75D for this comparison, since that's the model that is closest in price to the Jaguar and Audi entries. If you really want the fastest and most powerful electric CUV available, you're going to want to look at Tesla's ludicrous P100D model, but you'd better be willing to just about double the price you see in the chart above. With that out of the way, these particular electric crossovers are all pretty quick. The Jaguar boasts the quickest 0-60 time, but in the real world, that half-second advantage over the 75D won't amount to much. The Audi is a full second behind the Jaguar, and a little over a half second slower to 60 than the Tesla. A 5.5-second 0-60 time, though, still means the E-Tron will be able to squirt away from traffic lights quicker than the rest of the morning commuters. As far as battery capacity, Audi leads the way with 95 kWh, which is 5 more than the Jag and a whopping 20 more than the Tesla. Until we get estimated range figures, though, we won't know what the extra capacity means in the real world. In other words, stay tuned. View 74 Photos Exterior and interior dimensions The Jaguar is the smallest of these three 'utes, inside and out. The Tesla Model X is the largest. Does that make the Audi just right? Maybe, but only if you don't need a third row — the Model X is the only one of this trio that offers seating for six or seven passengers (depending on whether the buyer opts for a second-row bench or individual chairs). A smaller size may be a boon for drivers who often have to fit into tight spaces, but those slinky dimensions mean the Jaguar's cargo capacity is well behind that of the Audi and not even close to the cavernous Tesla. Tesla Motors Inc.