Volkswagen will launch a number of fully autonomous Level 5 electric cars, vans and trucks starting as early as 2021. In the near feature it will start testing them at its headquarters. The Sedric self-driving concept, which debuted in Geneva in March was only the beginning.
Volkswagen’s team is already working on ideas for a whole Sedric family of fully autonomous vehicles for the city, for luxurious long-range mobility, through self-driving delivery vans and heavy commercial trucks. Developers also are working on concepts for a robotic sports car. VW's ambitious time frame will become feasible as more countries pass legislation to allow autonomous driving. The automakers expect the [U.S.] Senate to pass legislation in the middle of next year. Once it does, then Dubai, Singapore and China would follow suit.
In addition, the Audi Aicon, the first Level 5 concept by one of the group's brands, debuted in Frankfurt. At nearly 18 feet long and 7 feet wide, with a 2+2 seating arrangement, it has a wheelbase that beats even the long version of the Audi A8. Eliminating the B-pillar helped designers create the impression of traveling in a first-class airline cabin.
