????讓今天的汽車不同于過去廉價小汽車的，是一系列創新技術的應用，車前燈技術便是其中一種。最開始使用的是傳統鹵素燈泡，之后出現了氙氣燈，直至今天，發光二極管（LED）車燈已經成了數款豪華車時尚與特色的代名詞。

????通過激光前照燈的使用，德國奧迪公司（Audi）又將汽車技術向前推進了一小步。這次在消費電子展上發布的車燈，光照強度約為奧迪現有LED車燈的三倍，照射距離能夠達到五個足球場的長度。

????奧迪及其母公司大眾汽車公司（Volkswagen AG）最高技術主管烏爾里奇?哈肯貝格說：“我們將是第一個量產激光車燈的品牌”。奧迪2014年勒芒耐力賽的參賽車型將會裝配激光車燈。

????哈肯貝格是在拉斯維加斯的消費電子展（Consumer Electronics Show）上說這番話的。這個展會如今已經逐漸成為汽車制造商展示前沿汽車電子技術的舞臺。哈肯貝格提到，“我們有一支由10，000名工程師組成的技術隊伍”。

????德國寶馬汽車公司（BMW）是奧迪在豪華轎車領域的主要競爭對手之一，它也在開發激光車燈技術，還有可能將這項技術用在它旗下的i系列電動汽車上。激光車燈的光并非來自激光本身，而是一些發磷光物質被激光激發而產生的光。對于某些消費者來說，好的電子配件會比高燃油效率更有吸引力。

????哈肯貝格說，他確信這次發布的激光車燈系統會得到監管部門的批準。此前，奧迪的矩陣LED大燈（Matrix LED）因為一個法規上的障礙而在美國遭遇禁令（美國上世紀60年代發布的一項法規規定，汽車遠光燈必須有開關控制打開和關閉），因此即使矩陣LED大燈的技術先進性一目了然，也得遵從法規的規定。但是哈肯貝格說，奧迪未來會將矩陣LED車燈“用于更多的車型，賣到更多的國家，其中包括美國”。2012年美式橄欖球超級碗（2012 Super Bowl）比賽中，奧迪曾將矩陣LED車燈作為一個亮點，在A8豪華轎車廣告中加以展示。

????奧迪在全球共招募了10，000名工程師。憑借強大的技術力量作后盾，奧迪一直在努力吸引顧客購買自己的高檔車型。在某些系列的車型中，奧迪用以吸引顧客的恰恰是一些新奇的技術，而不是常規的優勢，新穎的樣式，也不是更強勁的發動機性能等。

????奧迪電子產品研發部門主管里基?胡迪說，奧迪公司正在改進所謂的自動駕駛輔助系統。一些人認為，以自動駕駛輔助系統作為先驅，不遠的未來會產生能夠自動駕駛或接近自動駕駛的車輛。

????谷歌公司（Google）正在開發用于商業用途的無人駕駛車輛系統。與谷歌的大膽形成對比的是，奧迪和其它汽車制造商還不敢明確制訂這樣的目標。雖然他們承認，經過艱苦研發，無人駕駛車輛的實現是有可能的。

????“某些特定情況下，新開發的系統能夠接管駕駛任務”，胡迪說?！斑@一功能讓駕駛變得更加舒適、安全。但無論怎樣，方向盤還得由駕駛者自己控制?！?/p>

????在奧迪“堵車輔助系統”的展示中，試駕員在汽車低速前進時，可以將雙手從方向盤上拿開。此時汽車仍能保持在原先的車道，還能按要求剎車或加速，確保能跟著前面的車移動，并保持預定的距離。奧迪還沒有這個系統投入商用。

????奧迪的這個“堵車輔助系統”目前還不夠完善，它的自動駕駛還需要司機時不時加以修正。但奧迪的工程師們表示，他們并不擔心這些小問題，因為它們會被減少到最低水平，最終這個系統在幾年之內就可推向市場。

????奧迪在豪華轎車行業的技術領袖中率先圈出了自己的領地，此舉掀起的一輪技術競爭造就了很多不可思議的新功能。第一次駕駛這些新式車輛的人會發現，這些新功能的效果相當驚人。（財富中文網）

????譯者：朱毓芬/汪皓??

????Among the innovative technologies that distinguish today's cars from the flivvers of yesteryear are headlights. Conventional halogen bulbs begat xenon which begat LED (light emitting diodes), now all the rage and featured in several luxury models.

????Audi is stepping things up a notch with laser light headlamps. The advanced system is roughly three times as powerful as the German automaker's current LED and will be able to project light the length of about five football fields.

????"We will be the first brand to put laser lights into production," said Ulrich Hackenberg, top technical executive for Audi and its parent, Volkswagen AG (VLKPY). Audi's entry in the 2014 LeMans endurance race will be equipped with the lamps.

????Hackenberg was speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, increasingly a venue that automakers are using to display cutting-edge electronic technologies used in cars. He referred to "my team of 10,000 engineers."

????BMW, one of Audi's German archrivals in the luxury space, also is developing laser light technology, likely for use on its i-series electric vehicles. The light comes from phosphorescent material excited by the lasers, rather from the lasers themselves. For some consumers, a car's electronic gadgetry can be a bigger draw than fuel efficiency.

????Hackenberg said he is confident the laser light system will meet with regulatory approval. Audi's Matrix LED headlamp system, featured in an advertisement for the A8 luxury sedan during the 2012 Super Bowl, so far has been banned in the U.S. due to a regulatory hangup (a 1960s-era regulation that requires high-beams to be switchable on and off), despite its apparent technical sophistication. He added that Matrix LEDs, will become "available in even more Audi models and more countries, including the U.S."

????Audi, employing 10,000 engineers worldwide, has been pushing to attract customers to its upscale models by dint of technical wizardry in a number of categories other than the usual, styling, and engine performance.

????Ricky Hudi, head of Audi's electronic research and development, said the company is refining so-called piloted driving systems, which some regard as precursors to cars of the not-too-distant future that can drive -- or very nearly drive -- themselves.

????In contrast to Google (GOOG), which is working to create a driverless vehicle system for commercial use, Audi and other automakers are more circumspect about defining such a goal, even though they concede it's a possible outcome of research and development efforts.

????"The new systems will take over the driving in certain situations," said Hudi, "making it more comfortable and safer. Nevertheless, it always remains the driver's choice to turn over the wheel."

????In a demonstration of "traffic jam assist," an Audi system not yet offered commercially, a test driver was able to take his hands off the wheel at low speeds. The vehicle remained in its lane, following the car in front of it at a predetermined distance, braking and accelerating as required.

????But the "traffic jam assist" isn't yet foolproof, occasionally requiring correction from the driver. Audi engineers said they weren't worried that glitches would be reduced to a minimal level, allowing the system to be introduced within a few years.

????Audi has staked out territory among the technology leaders in luxury automobiles, stoking a competition that's producing unimaginable features. For anyone who drives these up-to-date cars for the first time, the effect will be quite startling.