Audi A2 electric beats traffic with autonomous drive, WiFi, laser lights
Audi has introduced a new all-electric version of its A2 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This time around, the car packs laser fog lights, WiFi internet access and drives itself in heavy traffic.
Audi's been knocked out more concept electric cars than the queen mother has wrinkles, so it'll come as no surprise to learn the the company has introduced an all-electric version of its A2 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
This one's arguably more interesting than the company's other EV offerings, however, as it features some fancy new tech including semi-autonomous driving capabilities, on-board Internet access and laser fog lights that project an image onto the road surface.
The semi-autonomous driving feature is aimed at helping drivers cope with the mind-numbing dullness that is slow-moving traffic. The car is able to 'lock on' to the car in front, inching forward or coming to a complete standstill to match the movements of anything ahead of it, freeing you up to concentrate on composing that "sorry I'm late" email using the vehicle's on-board WiFi access access point.
Though the A2 doesn't actively prevent people running into the back of you, it does have some pretty fancy rear fog lights that alert other drivers to your presence. These are made up of laser diodes, which beam a red triangle onto the surface of the road, warning fellow road users not to ram into your backside in low visibility conditions.
More gadge can be found on the inside of the A2. The vast majority of the car's controls -- with the exception of the indicators -- are accessed via a pair of touch pads.
The A2 will be based on the same underpinnings as the acclaimed A1, though Audi has yet to confirm the specification of its battery and motor technology. We're not sure why it's being so hush-hush about it all. We'll put good money on the A2 electric concept having similar range to existing electric vehicles, i.e. a range of around 100 miles and a top speed in the region of 90mph.
Have a gander through our photo gallery above to get a closer look.