Audi is on the verge of introducing the all-new A8 flagship with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities, but the four-ring company is already looking ahead at Level 5 cars. CNET’s Chris Paukert was invited to Audi’s HQ in Ingolstadt, Germany to catch a glimpse of the newly developed Long Distance Lounge, a concept attempting to see into the future of driverless cars. His tour guide was Audi's head of interior design, Enzo Rothfuss.
Roughly the same length as a long-wheelbase A8, the futuristic all-electric LDL feels considerably more spacious inside the cabin lounge than Audi's range topper. It's partially due to the lack of a combustion engine and the rest of the oily bits that take up a lot of space in conventional cars. It has been envisioned right from the start to be a driverless car for extended journeys with all the space inside you’ll ever need. Since it meets Level 5 requirements, it doesn’t come with a steering wheel nor does it have pedals — hence freeing up more room.
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