Next-Gen Audi A8 Debuting in 2017 with Piloted Driving

The next-gen Audi A8 has been confirmed for a 2017 debut.

At Audi’s annual general meeting, CEO Rupert Stadler shared news that the new Audi A8 will be the German automaker’s first series-produced car capable of driving itself. Similar to Tesla’s Autopilot, Audi’s system will be a traffic-jam pilot, allowing the flagship sedan to drive itself temporarily on the highway at speeds up to 37 mph. Stadler is convinced that by 2025, “we will see fully automated driving.” Audi is committed to the technology, having already campaigned self-driving cars around race tracks.

SEE ALSO: Next Audi A8 Will Drive Itself on the Highway

In addition to all of this, the company is currently readying its first fully-electric large-series automobile, set to launch in 2018 as a sporty SUV with a range of over 310 miles. Audi has ambitious plans for electrification, with Stadler promising that a new electrified car will go on sale each year starting in 2018.

This year, Audi will expand its worldwide production network with a plant in Mexico coming online. The first Audi Q5 crossover will roll off the assembly line in San José Chiapa starting in the second half of this year. In total, the automaker will invest more than $3.42 billion this year into property, plants and equipment.