Jammin' in the rush hour with the next Audi A8's self-driving tech

Audi expects to offer the first production car with Level 3 autonomy.

Traffic Jam Pilot will let you know when it's ready to rock based on what the backlight color is of this button.

Audi's Virtual Cockpit gauge cluster gets new Traffic Jam Assist-specific screens and alerts. Information is greatly simplified when the system is active, but you can still use the steering wheel controls to access whatever function you like.

Traffic Jam Pilot is activated, and your author is keeping his hands and feet to himself.

That's the world's first production lidar sensor, just below the license plate.

Audi's new zFAS controller is the heart of the A8's self-driving capability. Normally, it's mounted discreetly under the driver's seat. In this case, it's in a lighted display.

Audi engineer Daniel Lepczyk worked to perfect Traffic Jam Pilot's HMI.

Traffic Jam Pilot works at speeds of up to 60 kph -- that's 37 mph.

The A8 is Audi's range-topping sedan, and with this new hardware, rejoins the fight against BMW's 7 Series, Lexus' LS and Mercedes-Benz's S-Class, among others.

An elaborately progressive series of alarms, including visual, audible and physical cues accompany TJP's bid to get the driver to retake control.

Traffic Jam Pilot keeps the car centered in lane, although it can skew to one side to let emergency vehicles through, too.

Audi has done a good job of hiding the A8's self-driving hardware. It looks utterly ordinary.

Keep clicking or swiping through to see more images of Audi's 2019 A8 prototype.