Audi Will Be First to Test Self-Driving Cars in New York

Sebastien Bell
by Sebastien Bell

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that the state’s first ever road test of an autonomous car will be by Audi.

The test will be supervised by the New York State Police and will take place in Albany on June 13.

Two trained engineers will also join the car for the ride. One will be seated in the front seat and the other will be in the back, ready to take the wheel should the computers fail.

Audi is taking advantage of a one-year window for autonomous testing that New York included in this year’s budget. The test will be anything but free for Audi. In order to be granted permission, Audi has to insure the car for $5-million and must pay for the police escorts, among other things.

“We have been leading the way in the development of piloted driving technology for more than a decade now, and testing in real-world environments is a key step in our pursuit of safer roads,’’ said Scott Keogh, president of Audi of America. “We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership and stand ready to assist in defining how this future will unfold in the Empire State now and for years to come.”

SEE ALSO: Audi to Lead Volkswagen’s Autonomous Push

An autonomous A7 has been testing in America since at least 2014 when it was the first company to receive an autonomous driving permit in California.

Since then, Audis have logged thousands of miles of driving time on highways across America.

The new A8, coming later this year, is also being touted as the first truly autonomous car for sale, as its level three autonomous system will allow drivers to take their focus off the road in specific circumstances. Just when consumers will be allowed to use those capabilities, though, remains to be seen.

A version of this story originally appeared on Fourtitude

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Sebastien Bell
Sebastien Bell

Sebastien is a roving reporter who covers Euros, domestics, and all things enthusiast. He has been writing about the automotive industry for four years and obsessed with it his whole life. He studied English at the Wilfrid Laurier University. Sebastien also edits for AutoGuide's sister sites VW Vortex, Fourtitude, Swedespeed, GM Inside News, All Ford Mustangs, and more.

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