[boX5]

I test drove Audi e-tron last week. It was my first time driving an all electric vehicle.

The initial take off was not what I expected at all. There seemed to be a quarter second delay every time I stepped on the gas from standing. The overall acceleration is alright but not as good as so many gas powered cars in the market. Even my 2007 E550 was much better. It feels about the same as E350 I have currently.

The second major issue is the autonomous driving. The sales guy insisted I try this feature. He turned it on for me, and it worked ok, following through the lane on a normal street. When the car was nearing a construction area where a concrete barrier was placed to create a slight detour, I was getting ready to take over. The car never gave me a warning, and it was heading straight into the barrier at about 45mph. I had to turn the steering myself, otherwise it would have hit it causing pretty serious accident. Audi should have never put this feature in the car. With the terrible driving range and the MSRP of over $80k, it really makes no sense.

[LOW4LYF]

Why would you use a system like that in a construction area anyway?

[KennyFSU]

I used autopilot on a Tesla 3 and was very impressed with it.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by LOW4LYF

Why would you use a system like that in a construction area anyway?

[AZ1]

Hopefully it has sensors for walls? And collisions...

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by LOW4LYF

Why would you use a system like that in a construction area anyway?

Why would you use one of these systems anywhere. If you don't want to drive take an Uber or a bus. The tech is decades away from reliable and safe use. There is so much that can go wrong, frankly I'd much rather trust myself than the computer, and if it's stymied by some construction is it really ready for prime time?

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by joshuastein55

I completely agree with your final sentence. For an electric vehicle, it is very expensive and has abysmal range. I know that it has a nicer interior than any Tesla, but honestly Audi needs to try harder with their EV's. Hopefully the E-Tron GT will be much better.

eTron GT will likely just be the lower trim of the Taycan. So range won't be any more competitive.

[LOW4LYF]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

Why would you use one of these systems anywhere. If you don't want to drive take an Uber or a bus. The tech is decades away from reliable and safe use. There is so much that can go wrong, frankly I'd much rather trust myself than the computer, and if it's stymied by some construction is it really ready for prime time?

Depends...I drove couple times from LA to Vegas and a Autopilot would be great on a empty interstate like that.

It's just a System which should help you but not taking over you. I think we all know it would not work great in a big busy City like NY for example. I'm even more surprised why people would use it in a construction area.

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by LOW4LYF

Depends...I drove couple times from LA to Vegas and a Autopilot would be great on a empty interstate like that.

It's just a System which should help you but not taking over you. I think we all know it would not work great in a big busy City like NY for example. I'm even more surprised why people would use it in a construction area.

So given how stupid people are can you really trust this technology in the hands of the masses to use it wisely? There was a guy caught sleeping in the drivers seat going down one of the busiest highways in North America not long ago. NO thanks, I don't want it and I don't want it being used around me.

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

Why would you use one of these systems anywhere. If you don't want to drive take an Uber or a bus. The tech is decades away from reliable and safe use. There is so much that can go wrong, frankly I'd much rather trust myself than the computer, and if it's stymied by some construction is it really ready for prime time?

Have you tried it? There is no way you would think it's decades away if you have tried it.

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by dsad1

Have you tried it? There is no way you would think it's decades away if you have tried it.

No interest in it, my wife works in the ministry that is responsible for the highways and transportation, the hurdles before it will be allowed in widespread use will make it so it's not usable for at least a decade likely longer.

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

No interest in it, my wife works in the ministry that is responsible for the highways and transportation, the hurdles before it will be allowed in widespread use will make it so it's not usable for at least a decade likely longer.

I am confused, it's already allowed in widespread use. There are thousands of teslas, volvos, etc... On the road with it in them.

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by dsad1

I am confused, it's already allowed in widespread use. There are thousands of teslas, volvos, etc... On the road with it in them.

Driverless cars are now allowed on Ontario roads. ... it was also announced that members of the public will be able to drive “Level 3” conditionally automated vehicles, which manage most safety-critical driving functions but the driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times, and I wouldn't say they are "widespread".

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

Driverless cars are now allowed on Ontario roads. ... it was also announced that members of the public will be able to drive “Level 3” conditionally automated vehicles, which manage most safety-critical driving functions but the driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times, and I wouldn't say they are "widespread".

Yes, but you said allowed in widespread use, if Tesla was able to sell 50 million cars, then there would be 50 million cars with Autopilot on the road.

Autopilot has it's rules and conditions, if people don't follow them, that puts them and others at risk. But you can say that about driving in general.

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by dsad1

Yes, but you said allowed in widespread use, if Tesla was able to sell 50 million cars, then there would be 50 million cars with Autopilot on the road.

Autopilot has it's rules and conditions, if people don't follow them, that puts them and others at risk. But you can say that about driving in general.

So from what I'm reading is that only 29 states allow it and Ontario is the only province in Canada that allows it. Given that the number of vehicles equipped with the tech is limited I'd say the use isn't widespread at all.

[Draman]

My father bought 1 of these a few months ago and I drove it around over Christmas. The car is pretty nice, but honestly a perfect example of everything wrong with the direction Audi, Benz and BMW are going with their electric cars. BMW is a little better with their i series cars, but otherwise, this car is s perfect example of why trying to fit an electric power train into a modular frame is not going to compete with ground up electric cars. The range is not comparable to Tesla, the speed is not comparable to Tesla (or ICE cars in the same general price range). It's too heavy and too compromised to compete with cars engineered to be electric only. The interior is at least generally up to snuff with luxury standards (unlike Tesla), although there were a few too many soft touch areas that were vinyl instead of leather for my taste considering the price (almost $90k for a prestige trim)

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

So from what I'm reading is that only 29 states allow it and Ontario is the only province in Canada that allows it. Given that the number of vehicles equipped with the tech is limited I'd say the use isn't widespread at all.

That is level 3, Autopilot is level 2.

[yousefnjr]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

So given how stupid people are can you really trust this technology in the hands of the masses to use it wisely? There was a guy caught sleeping in the drivers seat going down one of the busiest highways in North America not long ago. NO thanks, I don't want it and I don't want it being used around me.

Not saying it’s a good idea, but the fact that the sleeping (or shaving, reading, etc...) guys typically arrive in one piece wherever they’re going is a pretty good endorsement of the capabilities today, no? I honestly don’t know which scares me more — the guy sleeping with autopilot or the guy texting/speeding/DUI without autopilot

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by yousefnjr

Not saying it’s a good idea, but the fact that the sleeping (or shaving, reading, etc...) guys typically arrive in one piece wherever they’re going is a pretty good endorsement of the capabilities today, no? I honestly don’t know which scares me more — the guy sleeping with autopilot or the guy texting/speeding/DUI without autopilot

the auto pilot all day long.....I'm looking out my window right now and it's snowing, the roads are covered......how's the autopilot going to manage to stay in a lane?

The point I'm making is that the tech isn't there yet, and frankly until every car on the road is equipped with the tech I don't trust it. And I suspect as we see it getting used more we will see many more mishaps, and then who's to blame, the guy sleeping behind the wheel or the computer?

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by Salty Dog

the auto pilot all day long.....I'm looking out my window right now and it's snowing, the roads are covered......how's the autopilot going to manage to stay in a lane?

The point I'm making is that the tech isn't there yet, and frankly until every car on the road is equipped with the tech I don't trust it. And I suspect as we see it getting used more we will see many more mishaps, and then who's to blame, the guy sleeping behind the wheel or the computer?

The Autopilot is just a feature, it's not the car. If it can't detect lanes, it won't let you turn it on. No matter what, the guy sleeping is always to blame. There is absolutely no documentation that Tesla puts out that tells the driver they can look away from the road, let alone go to sleep.

[Salty Dog]

Originally Posted by dsad1

The Autopilot is just a feature, it's not the car. If it can't detect lanes, it won't let you turn it on. No matter what, the guy sleeping is always to blame. There is absolutely no documentation that Tesla puts out that tells the driver they can look away from the road, let alone go to sleep.

So lets review, "features" never get misused......oh wait....Woman crashed motorhome using cruise control while making cup of tea

https://www.suffolkgazette.com/news/motorhome-crash/

This is why there is instructions on hair dryers that tell you not to use them in the bathtub.....people are too stupid to live.

[Germanauto]

BMW gets ragged on for being "behind" Audi and Mercedes in the EV game. But what have those automakers' EVs accomplished?

The E-tron is a total flop. Forget Tesla, this car's #1 competition is sitting next to it in the same showroom and is named the Q5. The Q5 looks the same and is about the same size but is $30,000 less. Then you have the larger and more luxurious Q7 priced $20,000 less.

Tesla succeeds because they've carved EV as their niche. If you want a Tesla you have to get that model. The legacy automakers on the other hand, are competing against themselves on price.