Audi will launch two new SUVs, three electric cars and level 3 autonomous driving by 2020

Audi has announced the strategic plan it will carry out between now and 2020. Among the manufacturer’s objectives are the launch of two new crossovers (Q8 and Q4), three electric cars and the development of its autonomous driving technology.

The premium brand plans to launch three new zero-emission models over the next three years; during this period, it will also electrify some of its current cars. Audi is making its interest in promoting electric mobility clear: it has already trained more than 6,000 employees to work with this type of technology, and it is also involved in the development of a public fast-charging infrastructure.

Audi’s autonomous technology will allow drivers to take their hands off the controls in traffic jams and at speeds of up to 60 km/h. As a pioneering brand within the Volkswagen Group, Audi is also accelerating its autonomous driving technology. The German manufacturer has created the subsidiary Autonomous Intelligent Driving GmbH, which is currently working on a system for urban autonomous vehicles. This technology will be applied to models from several brands and will be a key component for other future mobility services, such as autonomous taxis.

Audi is also developing autonomous driving systems for motorway and national road driving. In this regard, the new Audi A8 will introduce for the first time a level 3 autonomous driving system. This technology will allow drivers to take their hands off the controls in traffic jams and at speeds of up to 60 km/h.

The company has announced that it is “open to cooperating with other partners in the sector of the automotive and information technology industries”. Perhaps Intel should take note, now that it owns Mobileye’s autonomous driving technology.

In the coming years, Audi will significantly update its model range. Throughout 2018, it will introduce the new Audi A8 and the new generations of the Q5 and A5. Meanwhile, the Audi Q2 will be available in other international markets where it is not yet present. The four-ring brand will strengthen its upper range with the second generation of the Audi A7 Sportback, a model that will reach the market in 2018. In the same year, the Audi Q8 will complement the brand’s SUV family. The arrival of another new crossover in 2019 is also planned: the Audi Q4, a compact SUV.