Automobiles vehicles could decimate the end of the business of airlines and hotels as we know them today, according to an Audi business consultant. People can simply get in the car, and travel day and night without stopping, with the possibility of sleeping on the way.
"Those who need to travel on business, like managers, may avoid using the plane and even the hotels, sleeping and working comfortably on board their car," said Sven Schuwirth, vice president of the brand strategy and digital business "To Audi.
"In the future we must expect this phenomenon to destroy the domestic short-haul flights industry. And this should happen about in 20 years "
The cars will increasingly take on the shape and appearance of self-propelled apartments, and the service stations on the route will therefore evolve to support them by offering local drivers to wash, dine or shop.
Even hotels will change, Schuwirth added; drivers will use some of their services but will return to their car to sleep.
The interior of the car will be able to change depending on the moment, ranging from a "sleep mode" to the "driving mode".
"Today's cars are designed to be beautiful and comfortable, but all this goes second with respect to safety, which can be limiting. Autonomous cars, on the other hand, will virtually reduce the number of accidents at zero, and designers will have more freedom. We can have more transparent and livable cars. "
"Once the autopilot has been inserted, the car's interior will be able to change to offer the possibility to sleep, or in any case get comfortable and not worry about the road anymore."
The McLaren brand is also working on a changing car industry; designer Robert Melville said at the beginning of this year that cars will be able to change spaces and features depending on whether you are driving in or out of town.
Schuwirth added: "There will always be a steering wheel to steer, in case you need to drive, but you can make it disappear from the passenger compartment in self-guided mode. In that case they would also change the seats, turning into something more like a bed or sofa. The entire interior space would look completely different. "
Schuwirth reported these statements to journalists during the presentation of new Audi self-guided technologies in Catalonia (Spain). The German house has invited guests to test the Audi RS7's self-guided technology along a safe track, where they also reached 200 km / h!
The Audi Rider is a form of automatic driving in which the human driver remains legally responsible for the vehicle, even while the computer is driving it.
This approach is not to violate current law on the subject, which states that ultimately it must be a human being to control a vehicle, and for the time being exclude the existence of completely autonomous vehicles.
The autopilot guide is an intermediate step and allows the driver to rely on the computer only in low-risk situations such as excessive traffic (code) or low speed city driving.
"We do not believe that the potential of automatic driving is just about safety and comfort," Schuwirth said. "Cars are an important personal space for those who use them frequently, and it's nice to think they can become places to relax, communicate, talk, dream, and think."
Audi announced at the beginning of the year that it will be able to use part of the A9 motorway between Munich and Berlin to test self-contained vehicles.
Schuwirth is convinced that this will allow the German home to reach the USA technology, in which some states already allow for tests of autonomous vehicles on the roads.
Imagining the hypothetical scenario of a not too distant future, Schuwirth said, "Imagine staying in Munich, and having to arrive in time at a working meeting in Berlin in the morning. With an autonomous vehicle it would be enough to travel the night before, and while we are sleeping we would be transported to our destination. It would also take time to prepare and reach the meeting in a really relaxed way, including without having to book a hotel. "
He added: "The car is becoming something different. Not just something that can bring us from point A to point B, but much more. "