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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.

2018 Audi Q8 tears up the Nurburgring

Audi took to the Nurburgring to test the upcoming Q8, showing off the attractive yet minimalist shape we've seen on the international auto-show circuit this year. One thing that's not understated: the massive grille that's blacked-out in these spy shots. We expect the 2018 Q8 to go on sale about a year from now. The coupe-like styling belies a roomy SUV, one that has space in back and is expected to seat five comfortably. Using Volkswagen Group's MLB platform, the Q8 would slot in as the sportier counterpart to the Q7, which seats seven and has a more traditional design. The Q8 will take aim at the Mercedes GLE Coupe, BMW X6, Maserati Levante, and others. So what will be under the hood? Some rumors suggest the Q8 RS version will get the same twin-turbo V8 engine as the Lamborghini Urus (a VW Group sibling). The concept at the Detroit Auto Show was a high-powered turbocharged plug-in hybrid, while the Geneva concept, called the Q8 Sport, used an electric supercharger to augment its hybrid powertrain. The vehicle on the 'Ring looks near-production-ready with the roofline a little less dramatically chopped than the concepts. The strong lines and creases continue, however, and the Q8 is poised to be a head-turner when it arrives in production trim. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Audi Q8 Spy Shots View 10 Photos Spy Photos Audi Crossover SUV

Audi sketches out new TT ahead of Geneva debut

In less than two weeks, the doors will open at the Geneva Motor Show, and we'll be there to capture all the action. Among the dozens of new debuts we're looking forward to will be the arrival of the new third-generation Audi TT, and to give us a better idea of what we're looking forward to, Ingolstadt has released this series of teaser sketches.
Looking every bit like a TT should and drawing heavily on the Allroad Shooting Brake concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show last month, the images foretell of a new Audi sports coupe with a single-frame grille, matrix LED lighting and a deeply creased hood with the four-ring emblem placed atop the nose, as on the R8.
Horizontal lines at the back preview Audi's next design language, with twin exhaust tips flanking the diffuser on base models and quad tips on the next TTS. A cleaner interior design also harkens back to the first-gen TT that started it all and from which the new one draws its inspiration. Scope out the images in the gallery above for a closer look at what's to come, then scroll down for the details in the press release below.