lane assist

Steering the car yourself is one of the joys of driving a car. I rarely drive with automatic steering. Read why!

Audi active lane assist

If someone had told me 20 years ago that ordinary cars could drive themselves, I would have thought they had read too much science fiction. Active lane assist is more advanced than the name suggests. It does not lead the car in a zigzag between the lines, but actively intervenes and keeps a steady course in the middle of the lane - mile after mile. The automatic steering switches off when the driver turns the steering wheel himself. I have seen a video from the USA where an Audi drives on the highway while the driver sits back with his arms crossed for about half an hour. It does not allow "my" Audi. If the hand is away from the self-steering wheel for too long, a message will appear to take over the steering. Guess it's for legal reasons.

The eyes of the car

The automatic steering on "my" car uses the camera behind the interior mirror. The same camera that reads license plates and controls the high beams. If the car had been equipped with Park Assist Plus, the electronics would also have used the radar sensors to monitor traffic along the sides to avoid collisions during lane changes. But normal steering is therefore only based on visual impressions.

Needs more than good eyes

Living people don't just steer with their eyes. We use our eyes to set a course far ahead and check that nothing gets in the way. By holding the steering wheel, we are constantly aware of external factors that affect the car - such as the road, weather and wind. Should a side wind blow the car off course, we feel it on the steering wheel and correct immediately as a spinal reflex. When we correct the steering wheel, we can also feel if we are close to having a wheel slip or if the car is understeering or oversteering. We get to know all this through the steering wheel the second before the car actually changes direction. Today's electronics, on the other hand, do not have access to capture the feeling of the steering wheel. It does not notice the crosswind until the car has actually gone slightly off course. When it then adjusts, we can notice a small throw in the car.

self-driving cars — From time to time I use this grip to feel how the car behaves.

When I'm familiarizing myself with a new car, I only put a few fingertips on the steering wheel as shown in the picture. Then I can feel the forces acting on the front wheels. If the road is correctly dosed in relation to speed, I will be able to feel through my fingers how the car tracks into the bend. When everything is right, the car feels almost autonomous without electronics. This interaction between road, car and driver is not only important for the joy of driving. It is also important for comfort and safety.

Many drivers lack "finger gespitzengefühl"

There is hardly anything more uncomfortable than sitting in the back seat when someone drives with a convulsive grip on the steering wheel and corrects the course completely without feeling the car. Preferably overcorrect so that the car gets a throw back. If you drive with a heavy trailer, a fully loaded car or on slippery surfaces, even a small correction with the steering wheel can have fatal consequences if it breaks the car's track - at the wrong time - for example in an incorrectly dosed turn, during a gust of wind, over a teleport or pothole in the roadway. Then it may be better to let the vehicle wander in the lane and, if necessary, use larger parts of the road.

That's why I rarely use the car's robot steering

It provides better comfort, higher safety and more driving pleasure. It also gives freedom to use the entire lane if necessary. It is part of the interaction in traffic - what separates living people from robots. If I park the car slightly to the right, I invite those close behind to drive past. If there is poor visibility along the edge of the road, I prefer to move towards the center line to create a safety zone. There are countless reasons why one wants to use the entire field - and sometimes the whole way. That's how you drive on a daily basis. Decisions are made via "spinal cord", not via the brain. Not until the automatic steering tries to pull the car into the center of the lane again.

Not all cars are equally communicative

When I recently drove the Suzuki S-Cross, I noted that the steering did not convey any signals at all, especially around the center position. The Suzuki ran well, but lacked this important interaction between car and driver. Without feeling in the steering - and unaccustomed to driving without steering feel - I noticed that "my" car wandered on the road on a straight motorway. I felt like a beginner.

Might as well let a robot rule 😐

Audi Active Lane Assist only works at speeds above 65 km/h. It is activated with a button at the far end of the left steering wheel lever. If the car is also equipped with Park Assist Plus, exploits Active Lane Assist the radar sensors to detect situations where it is necessary to steer out of one's own lane. Together with Adaptive Cruise Control newer Audis can go a long way to driving themselves. Driver assistance systems that use the camera switch themselves off in fog and poor visibility.

See

When the lunch menu in Hvervenbukta was not to our liking, we drove to Mortens Kro in Gjelleråsen.

A3 Facelift — Cosmos Blue is a new color for the 2017 models.

Not many of them have hit the road yet. In fact, I have the benefit of seeing someone other than the one I'm driving. I'm told that Ingolstadt has put its production machinery into high gear to get out as many facelifted A3s as possible.

From what I have been able to map, the new A3 e-tron differs from its predecessor in the following areas: New grill, new headlights, new LED running lights, new rear lights, new diffuser, assistant systems, such as automatic warning and emergency braking in case of obstacles within city speeds , adaptive cruise control and lane assist that steers the car automatically at speeds above 60 km/h and warns with vibration in the steering wheel when you change lanes without blinking.

"My" car is in Cosmos Blue, a brand new color of the year. It appears alternately as black and blue, depending on the sunlight. I think the facelift is very successful. The most eye-catching are the new headlights and taillights - proper light circles replace the sad taillights of the predecessor. With sports seats in leather and alcantara, black lining in the roof, panoramic roof, Bang Olufsen and keyless start button, the A3 certainly appears in the premium class.

New grill, new headlights and running lights.

Same drivetrain

The hybrid drive is the same as before with the Volkswagen group's 1,4 liter TFSI engine with 150 horsepower and a 54 horsepower electric motor. I set up the drive so that I primarily drive on the electric motor as long as there is battery capacity. Theoretical mileage is 45 km, but I find that Audi's mileage is shorter than mine. Realistic mileage is in excess of 30 kilometers. For many, it is still enough to get to and from work without using petrol. But then you have to charge every day. For those who depend on external charging stations, it is not appropriate to rely on electricity as the main source of income. Of course, the car works well without charging. Because it charges while driving so that the electric motor can help when needed. The electric motor provides propulsion when starting and driving in parking areas, as well as providing an extra boost during acceleration.

Charging time with normal contact is otherwise 4 hours, and 2 hours on fast charging.

When we started, there were 25 kilometers left on pure electric power. We were on our way to have lunch in Hvervenbukta in Oslo. According to Google Maps, the distance there is exactly 19,3 kilometers. Even though I was extra light on the accelerator, the car had to switch to petrol about 1 km before we reached the destination. The temperature outside showed a pleasant 20 degrees, and several people were swimming, even though October is just around the corner.

When driving in electric mode, the car feels like a pure electric car. It seems more noise-insulated towards the road than the e-Golf, and thus more comfortable. Should you need a quick acceleration, the 150 horsepower is fired up. In urban areas, I get the feeling of driving an extremely large engine. Partly because of the solid bottom line, but also because of the sound level. When the petrol engine starts, it makes a low-frequency hum.

I had hoped to see Anne På Landet's great Food Truck - an extended Citroën Type H, but unfortunately it was not to be seen. The cafe, on the other hand, was open, but there was nothing on the menu that tempted my better half, so we chose to drive on. I myself wanted to taste the lamb sausages that are praised by so many.

We drove around Tyrigrava, but it was closed there. It's a shame that no one can get the service there back on its feet. We instead went out on the motorway to visit Mortens Kro at Gjelleråsen.

At highway speeds, the e-tron reminded me more and more of a regular A3. It is not exactly engine weak, but it seems as if it is mainly the petrol engine that is working. The soundscape has also been changed. Gone is the low-frequency hum.

Modern assistant systems

The biggest changes can be found in the car's assistant systems. The first thing I notice is how the car steers automatically at speeds above 60 km/h. Immediately, there is no good feeling when the wheels start to take on a life of their own. The steering is only a guide for the driver. If he lets go of the steering wheel, a warning will appear on the screen and then the car will brake quickly. If you end up with a wheel outside the road markings, the steering wheel vibrates. The function can be switched off. I chose to wear it, even though it often seemed that I was too far to the right in the road.

Automatic emergency braking comes into effect if, for example, a pedestrian is walking in front of the car. The function only applies at city speeds. This is a type of safety equipment that I believe will become standard on all cars in a few years. It is standard on the new e-tron.

You also get adaptive cruise control, but it was not installed on the tested car. With such equipment, the car can actually drive, steer and brake itself.

Like its predecessor, the new A3 is a good car to drive. It has 3 driving modes. I found the default setting "Auto" worked best. I would consider switching to "Dynamic" during fast highway driving. Then the steering becomes firmer and the throttle application comes more directly. I found no advantages in the Comfort setting. You can also set up an individual setup. As I said, "Auto" works perfectly.

More data on the dashboard

The most visible change inside is the digital dashboard. This can be configured to your own liking, if you take the time. I really liked getting the entire navigation map up on the instrument panel, and the "clocks" in reduced size (virtual cockpit). If you insert a SIM card into the computer unit inside the glove compartment, you can integrate the infotainment system with Google Maps. There should probably also be integration solutions for Apple equipment.

What I find out about the setting options while driving is limited. I started to get hungry, and thought it was important to stay focused on the traffic. Morten's Kro at Gjelleråsen is a timepiece. It has been around for as long as I can remember. A nice destination for a Sunday trip by car. I recognize the logo from the old days and look at pictures on the wall that show how the place looked then, - with an Opel Olympia outside with a panoramic window. The food tasted homemade and good.

You need additional equipment

If you choose the A3 e-tron Sport, you get a fairly well-equipped car, for an Audi. But several of the functions I have described are optional extras. It is difficult to get below 100 in extra equipment. That makes the new A000 e-tron a fantastic car, but the price is perhaps also the car's biggest disadvantage. In the Sport equipment variant, the base price is 3. When you add metallic paint, winter wheels and extras, the price quickly creeps up to 357. That's a lot of money for an A200.

If I were to put my finger on something, it would have to be the range of the batteries. A few extra miles would have made the car even more attractive to many. And by the way…