The Audi Aicon concept car was unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Aicon is a fully-autonomous and 100% electric concept vehicle. Incredibly the German carmaker's design features no pedals or steering wheel.
This concept vehicle incorporates Audi's vision of a world in which pedestrians can hail self-driving cars on the go. It is, however, yet to be seen whether the Audi Aicon or a similar vehicle will enter the market. But either way, this is a neat EV proposal that's worth a closer look.
We'll discuss the performance, exterior, and interior of the Audi Aicon, in the following breakdown. We'll also touch on Audi's long-term plans for this concept EV.
An Autonomous Design With A Slick Exterior
The Aicon is designed as a four-door 2+2 all-rounder. This all-electric concept would provide a range of around 435-497 miles from just one charge. It's estimated that it would only take half an hour to charge this vehicle up to 80%. The futuristic exterior of the Aicon is notable not only for its design quality but its size.
The Aicon is over 5.4m in length, with a height of just over 1.5m and a width of exactly 2.1m. For this reason, we'd class the Aicon as part of the top-tier D segment of cars. In total, you'd get 660 liters of cargo space.
With the front and rear ends minimized, drivers of this EV would enjoy wide, spread-out exterior surfaces, providing a pristine, curved aesthetic. The Aicon design comes with an inverted hexagonal singleframe, which is also seen with the e-Tron Sportback and other Audi electric designs.
The Aicon is also defined by its proposed use of LED lighting tech. Instead of employing traditional headlights and other conventional forms of lighting, digital display surfaces are featured at the front and rear of this vehicle. These display surfaces comprise 100s of 3D triangle-shaped pixels, used to bring Audi car lighting into the 2020s. Further, each pixel would act as a representation of Audi's AI symbol.
Given that these pixels could change color, a whole host of designs and visual information could be created at the rear of the vehicle, and in theory, the possibilities for customization would be endless. Audi has highlighted that the rear display could be used to create wide pupils that could make eye contact with pedestrians.
Whether any such feat of personalized car displays would be allowed on the roads is a whole different matter. After all, if vehicle customization was a free-for-all in the eyes of the law, we'd have car horns making a whole range of sounds, from science-fiction SFX to the sounds of a novelty horn to, perhaps even voice commands.
The Audi Aicon Has A Beautiful And Unique Interior
The Aicon design is an all-rounder with an interior made to maximize comfort, and which offers advanced communications tech and plenty of room for occupants to stretch out their legs. The Aicon sets to provide innovative tech for the suspension and drivetrain, as well as hi-tech digitalization.
Now, how about that dash? The most innovative and notable distinction offered by the Aicon is the lack of a steering wheel and pedals. This is possible since the Aicon is planned with level five automation in mind, or, in other words, full automation.
It may take a brave soul to ride in one of the first level five automated vehicles given that it means completely letting go of control, although, in fifty years, this may be the norm. Undoubtedly, new technologies throughout history have often seemed a little frightening until they become commonplace. And level five automation may be no different.
Initially, the Aicon would be designed for urban areas with very detailed maps, such that a self-driving car like the Aicon could manage with relative ease. Audi plans to take a pilot fleet for a few spins at some point this year. We don't yet know where this fleet will be tested out, but we sure are excited to find out.
When Will Audi Release The Aicon?
It seems unlikely that the Audi Aicon will be made commercially available. However, it has been reported that Audi intends to launch a similar EV in 2024. More specifically, the Audi Landjet is on the books for release in three years' time, with a comparable exterior, performance, and similar capabilities to the Audi Aicon.
We expect the Aicon to act as a marker and inspiration to future Audi EVs in the long-run. The pressure will certainly be growing on the German automaker to keep up with the competition as it seems we are in the midst of an EV revolution this decade.
We'd love to see something like the Aicon, whether it's the Landjet or otherwise, hit the market later this decade. We can only speculate how much such a vehicle would cost, but with innovative technology, it would likely feature a hefty price tag. As soon as we know more, we'll update you on Audi's latest electric EV plans.