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Audi's Long Distance Lounge Concept is self-driving nirvana

Take an exclusive peek into Audi's radical vision for a future autonomous car interior.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
Audi Long Distance Lounge
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Infinitely moveable seats are secured via powerful magnets. A power reclining lounger turns into a bed, and there's a refrigerator in the wall for snacks.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
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An exterior rendering of what Audi's Long Distance Lounge could look like.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
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TFT foils turn exterior windows into screens. You can actually look outside and see digital overlays describing what's there at the same time.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
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A smart table wirelessly mirrors content from brought-in devices like mobile phones.

5 of 12 Alexander Herold/Audi

Audi's head of interior design, Enzo Rothfuss, imagines a world of Audi Lounges where vehicles like this stop for refreshments and services.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
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As you drive along, the car's network of exterior cameras and sensors are always processing its surroundings, ready to show as much or as little information as you want.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
7 of 12 Alexander Herold/Audi

The Long Distance Lounge features only one large door. Because it's autonomous and knows where you are, it always picks you up with the door facing you.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
8 of 12 Alexander Herold/Audi

The hardwood floor features a high-frequency vibration generator that agitates dirt and funnels it to the periphery of the cabin, where a built-in vacuum sucks it up.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
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Conversations are easy when the seating configurations are so flexible.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
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A blue light indicates who has control of various functions, and it can be passed to other occupants by swiping along the aluminum trim.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
11 of 12 Alexander Herold/Audi

The lounge seats are covered in easy-clean, sustainable fabric that looks like wool. It's actually made from recycled plastic bottles.

Audi Long Distance Lounge
12 of 12 Alexander Herold/Audi

Behind the lounge seat is a pass-through to the trunk, so you can access your belongings while on the move.

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