Audi Debuts Master Control Module for Self-Driving Cars

Audi AG and partners have developed a single, iPad-sized controller that will command automated driving features in its future vehicles.

Dubbed the central driver assistance controller, or zFAS, the system was co-developed by Delphi, Mobileye, NVidia and TTTech. Audi has selected Delphi to mass-produce the device, which will use sensor inputs to create a model of the vehicle's surroundings, then direct automated steering, braking and other control systems.

The carmaker also is working with Bosch, Continental, Delphi and Valeo on standardized sensors and actuators for future self-driving systems. Audi declares it will be the first carmaker to consolidate all autonomous system control in a central domain architecture.

The modular zFAS board features Mobileye's EyeQ3 mobile processor and nVidia's Tegra K1 chip. Audi says the combination equals the entire computing power of a well-equipped midsize car.

Eventually Audi aims to link a car's zFAS controller via LTE cellular service to a cloud-based service that applies artificial intelligence algorithms to the car's data and beams it back to the vehicle. The goal is to enable self-driving cars to learn and improve their performance through experience.