Will get to those headlights in a minute, but the Audi AI:Trail quattro is one of those concepts which you’ll be glad that it exists, at least as a concept. After the Aicon concept of 2017 and the AI:ME that we saw not too long ago, this is the latest one.
While the AI:Trail’s cabin looks similar to the AI:ME, it is designed for its occupants to enjoy an ultimate adventure — away from the city. It has no big screens onboard for streaming TV series or video conferencing; instead, broad glass surfaces so that the occupants can enjoy the surroundings.
A smartphone can be docked on the steering yoke for navigation and that’s pretty much it. There’s no distraction from big displays that are usually found in new cars these days. Naturally, the traditional wing mirrors are replaced with cameras. As for the materials, sustainability is the order of the day. The carpet is made of reprocessed wool and recycled leather. The second-row seats are designed like hammocks that can be detached to be used outside.
Perhaps, the most interesting part are the headlights, or, the lack of it. The AI:Trail ditches the conventional headlamps for drones with integrated Matrix LED elements. There are a total of five of them; they’re capable of landing on a roof rack or directly on the roof of the vehicle and docking onto the inductive charging elements.
They usually fly in pairs and can fly ahead of the AI:Trail and illuminate the path ahead, replacing the headlights entirely. If needed, the onboard cameras can transmit a video to the display in front of the driver via Wi-Fi.
While the vehicle has a steering yoke and pedals, it is also designed for level 4 automated driving. However, that function is limited to specific areas, such as highways or areas in the cities equipped with suitable infrastructure. Obviously, there’s no word on making the AI:Trail into a production vehicle, however, Audi has plans for shared mobility business in the future, where these types of vehicles can be had on-demand or leased for a limited period.
When the customers book a vehicle, they can have it configured to suit their personal preferences. Such as the interior temperature, the perfect seat adjustment, and their personal music library.
The vehicle measures 4.15 meters in length, 2.15 meters in width, and a height of 1.67 meters. Thanks to those enormous 22-inch wheels with 850 mm (33.5 in) tires, the AI:Trail has a ground clearance of 34 cm (13.4 in), and it can ford through water more than half a meter (1.6 ft) deep, Audi said.
Suspension duties are handled by MacPherson struts with coil springs and adaptive dampers. In addition, the tire sidewalls have a structure of supporting struts, which are integrated into the treads and the actual surface. This design according to Audi, allows the tires themselves—in addition to the suspension struts—to contribute a further 60 mm (2.4 inches) of suspension travel. The tires also feature variable, sensor-controlled air pressure regulation.
The AI:Trail is made of a mixture of steel, aluminum and carbon fibre. As a result, it weighs 1,750 kg despite its large battery system.
As for other technical bits, the AI:Trail is powered by four electric motors installed near the wheels, forming a quattro AWD system. The maximum system output is 320 kW (435 metric hp) and 1,000 Nm (737.6 lb-ft) of torque. Due to the individually propelled wheels, the vehicle can do without differentials and locks, which also consume energy, Audi said. The lithium-ion battery’s target range is 400 to 500 km (WLTP).
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