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What’s it like to drive a car that drives itself? To give a computer full control of your destiny, on the highway, at 70 miles an hour?进着一辆自动驾驶汽车是什么感觉？是不是将你的小命转交电脑，让它提示汽车在高速公路上以每小时70英里的速度行经？It will happen to you, maybe not in five years, but definitely within 15. You’ll be on the highway and hit a button and the car will take over, navigating through slow traffic and allowing you to tap away at your cell phone or even take a short nap.你迟早会体会到这种感觉，或许5年内还敢，但15年内意味著可以。上了高速，你只要按下一个按钮，汽车就不会打开自动驾驶模式，你可以玩游戏一会儿手机，甚至睡觉上一觉。Well, I’ve experienced it already, in the very first week of 2015, on a 560-mile road trip from Silicon Valley to Las Vegas. On behalf of Fortune, I was one of five journalists to experience an autonomous car at this advanced level.2015年的第一个星期，在一段从硅谷前往拉斯维加斯，长达560英里的旅程中，我体验了一番这种感觉。作为代表《财富》的记者，我荣幸地沦为首度体验一款技术先进设备的自动驾驶汽车的五名记者之一。

The car was an Audi A7 that looked exactly like any other, if you discounted the special paint job and the words “Audi Piloted Driving” on the sides. The oddest part was just how quickly I got used to the car making decisions for me at highway speeds.除去类似的配色和车身上的“奥迪自动驾驶”字样，这辆奥迪A7看上去与同型号的其它车辆没任何区别。最不可思议的是，我迅速就习惯了它在高速公速上替我做到要求。

All the major automakers are in a race to develop the first fully autonomous car, and if you listen to some of the companies it sounds as if a robotic chauffeur will be taking over grocery-getting duties any day now. Don’t believe them. Neither the technology nor the laws governing it are anywhere near that point. Your 10-year-old will still need his or her driving license in six years unless you plan to pay for Uber rides to the mall well into their 20s.目前，市面上所有主流汽车厂商都在争先恐后地研发首款几乎自动驾驶的汽车。在有些厂家的宣传词里，样子旋即之后“汽车人”就能自动替你去买菜了。别坚信他们。不论是在技术层面还是法律层面，我们离那个目标都十分很远。

你10岁的孩子六年后还是得考驾照，除非你想让他们20多岁时还要通过Uber来叫车载他们去商场。Nonetheless, Volkswagen Group-owned Audi was out to prove that it was ahead of the curve, and invited me to test drive a prototype sedan capable of “level three” autonomous technology (see accompanying story for definitions of those levels). The trip began from a hotel in Menlo Park, and I had visions of inputting “Las Vegas” into the navigation system, hitting the “go” button and kicking back with 1984 on my Kindle as the car whisked me away.不过，德国大众集团旗下的奥迪公司想证明他们早已在这个领域领先了一步，于是邀我去试驾一款据传不具备了“第三级”自动驾驶技术的轿车（这些等级的定义闻本文注记）。这趟旅行的起点是门洛帕克市的一家酒店。

在我的想象中，我以为只必须在导航系统里输出“拉斯维加斯”，按一个“回头你”的按钮，车子就不会载有着我狂奔，然后我就可以用Kindle电子书悠闲地看《1984》了。Not so much. This special prototype can only pilot itself in very specific situations. The basic criteria: 1) It drives itself only on well-marked freeways during the day and in favorable weather conditions; 2) A driver has to be in the seat at all times and ready to take back control immediately in an emergency situation (so no napping); 3) The driver gives up control while already on the freeway and takes it back before it’s time to exit.事实上并没这么非常简单。这台原型车不能在十分特定的情形下才能构建自动驾驶。基本条件是：1、它不能在标志显著的高速公路上才能构建自动驾驶，而且必需是白天，天气状况必需较好；2、驾驶员必需一直躺在驾驶座上，随时打算在应急条件下立刻并转到手动驾驶员模式（所以打盹是不有可能了）；3、只有上了高速，司机才能打开自动驾驶，在车子下高速之前，司机就要新的接管汽车。

Audi engineers says they have done more than 50,000 miles of testing on public roads in America using this self-driving technology. But on this trip they weren’t leaving much to chance. They had run the long, southeastern route through Bakersfield at least six times previously. There were two German engineers in the car at all times. The one in the back had a laptop and was constantly screening data. The fellow in the right-hand seat paid keen attention to the road ahead. Disconcertingly, he also had his own gas and brake pedals.奥迪的工程师回应，他们早已利用自动驾驶技术，在美国的公共道路上行经了50,000多英里。但在本次旅途中，他们也不肯为难，而且早已沿这条向东南方经由巴克斯菲尔德的公路行经了六次。

这次车里仍然一直坐着两名德国工程师。躺在后面的这位架着一台笔记本电脑，不时地检查各种数据。躺在机长的那位一直慎重地仔细观察前方道路。

较为失望的是，他的脚底下也有一套油门和刹车踏板。The trunk of the car was filled with components from desktop computers, with a hydra of cords interconnecting them to the car. Also a bit disconcerting. But the interior looked almost entirely normal.车子的后备箱里装进了台式电脑的部件，一大团数据线把它们与汽车连接起来在一起。

这一幕看著也有点失望，但内饰基本上几乎长时间。It’s at this point that I should mention that I’m an A-type driver. Years of training on the racetrack and practicing emergency maneuvers have not helped matters. You may think you’re a great driver. I would likely disagree. I love to be in the driver’s seat—and if I’m not, I’d just prefer to be outside the car. So yes, you might say I’ve got control issues.我应当特别强调一下，我是A型血。

多年的赛道训练和应急操作者锻炼也没医治我的强迫症。你有可能指出你是个很好的司机，但我很有可能不这么指出。

我讨厌躺在驾驶座上——如果驾车的不是我，我宁可不跪这辆车。所以你可能会指出我的掌控意欲过强劲。And while I like technology, I don’t really trust it. Computers crash all the time. They can be hacked and compromised and my Apple computer too often suffers that spinning ball of death. Was I really ready to turn over my life to a robotic overlord? Have we learned nothing from the Terminator movies?另外，虽然我讨厌高科技，但我并不心里信任它。

电脑还常常瓦解呢，或是被黑、中毒什么的，我自己的苹果电脑也常常死机。我知道准备好把宝贵的生命托付给机器人了吗？怎么会看了《终结者》系列电影后，我们什么教训都没有教给吗？So I was happy enough to be in control as we motored through a small California town in the prototype Audi, making our way toward Interstate 5. The prototype was in most regards still a stock A7, a sexy, swoop-backed sedan that I really love. It has lots of pep and a great suspension.所以当我们沿5号公路回到加州一个小镇，换回我坐下驾驶座上时，我还是非常高兴的。这辆原型车骨子里还是一台量产的奥迪A7，它是一款令人爱不释手、十分性感的拦腹轿跑完，动力丰沛，挂也很出众。

Then we got on the freeway and a message appeared on my digital dash, informing me that “piloted” driving mode was available. Traffic was heavy and too closely spaced together. This truly would be a test of the technology.然后我们又上了高速，这时数码仪表盘上表明出有一条消息，提醒称之为“自动”驾驶员模式早已可以用于了。不过这时路上车流相当大，车距较宽，这对该技术感叹一项挑战。I glanced over at the engineer and he gave me a confident nod. The lower stalks of the steering wheel have two extra buttons. You press and hold both simultaneously to engage the autonomous feature. I did so: an alert sounded and the steering wheel automatically retracted several inches, literally moving out of my hands.我瞄准具了工程师一眼，他对我信心十足地点了低头。方向盘下面有两个额外的按钮。

同时宽按这两个按钮才可启动自动驾驶功能。我这样做到了以后，车内听见了一声警告音，然后方向盘膨胀了几英寸，挣脱了我的掌控。The A7 prototype uses an array of stock sensors, including radar and a front-facing camera, to navigate through traffic. It stays in the right-hand lane until it comes on slower-moving traffic, and then will engage its turn signal, pull into the left lane, and pass.这台A7原型车用于了一系列传感器，还包括雷达和于是以对前方的摄像头，用来感应器车流状况。

车子仍然在右道行经，如果邂逅前车行经太快，它就不会打转向灯，然后拐上左道转弯。Using the side stalk, I set the speed at 70 mph. The steering wheel was moving on its own, a ghost in the machine. We were approaching a slow-moving minivan quickly and I tensed, my foot hovering over the brake pedal. The car smoothly engaged the brakes, waited for a car on the left to pass, turned on the signal, passed the van and pulled back to the right. Seamless.通过方向盘侧边的拨给杆，我把速度原作为每小时70英里（大约每小时112公里）。

方向盘自动转动，就像有个幽灵在驾车一样。车子迅速相似了一台进得极快的面包车，我精神紧张一起，把脚放到刹车踏板上打算随时制动器。但车子自动平顺地减慢了车速，等到左边的一辆车再行多达去，才打了转向灯，多达了这辆面包车，然后又返回右侧车道，真是天衣无缝。

I stared straight ahead, hands in lap. Then I relaxed a bit. Then I got bored. I twisted in the seat and began chatting with the engineers. Then I started messing with traffic around me, planting both hands on the side window as cars passed. Look, sir! No hands. I got some strange looks. I even tried to attract the attention of a state trooper pulled to the side of the road. My engineer/minder wasn’t so amused.我的眼睛仰视前方，双手放到了膝盖上。然后，我放开了一会儿，迅速就实在无趣。我把座椅调整了个角度，然后开始和工程师们聊天。

我开始望着周围的车流，有车子经过时，我就把两只手都伸展到车窗外头。“看我大撒把！”人们对我投来怪异的眼神。我甚至还企图更有停车在路边的交警的注意力。

当然，那位工程师并不实在我这样做有多么冷笑话。Here’s what I liked: It was very easy to take back control. Simply grab the steering wheel and apply light pressure, and the system happily gives all controls back to you. You can also apply the brakes or gas and do the same thing. And the car still drove and handled like an Audi. It really wasn’t foreign at all: Easy to understand even easier to use.我最喜欢的一点是：你很更容易就能交还对车子的控制权。

只需用力一纳方向盘，产生一点点力量，系统就不会很高兴地把它的所有控制权交还给你。踩刹车或油门也能超过某种程度的效果。车子的操控感觉依然像一辆经典的奥迪。

它几乎没陌生的感觉，理解它很更容易，用一起甚至更容易。What I didn’t like: The passiveness. It’s very hard to pay attention after a while. Being sort-of, kind-of in control is difficult. Either you’re all-in driving, or you’re not. Engineers say that when the technology eventually comes to market, the car should be able to perform some evasive maneuvers. But right now, if a car careens toward you the car can only slow down to avoid an accident. It’s up to you to perform more elaborate evasive action.我不讨厌的一点是它的被动性。车子回头了一阵子之后，你就很难集中于注意力了，很难取得所谓的“掌控感觉”。

要么是用手动模式驾车，要么不是。工程师们回应，等到这项技术最后投放市场，它预计应当可以展开机动回避。不过目前，如果一辆车子向你行经的方向侧翻过来，车子不能自动滑行以防止事故。要想要展开更加简单的机动动作，就得靠你自己去手动操作者。

As for accidents, we saw a lot of them that day on I-5. Fender benders mostly, but at least one serious incident the other direction. Audi says it is pursuing this technology because it saves lives, as the majority of accidents are the result of distracted driving.说道到事故，那天我们在5号公路上看到了很多交通事故，大部分是小刮蹭，但最少在偏移车道上还是再次发生了一起严重事故。奥迪公司回应它正在大力前进这项技术，因为它可以挽回很多人的生命，因为大多数交通事故都是因为驾车迟疑而造成的。Meanwhile, our A7 stayed out of trouble and accident free, moving steadily to our destination, the Las Vegas Strip, which we would reach just in time for the annual Consumer Electronics Show.我们的A7一路平安无事，也没遇上事故，稳稳地驶往我们的目的地拉斯维加斯，恰好能跟上一年一度的CES消费电子展。

By the end of the trip, I was a believer. The technology is for real. Do I love it? Well, I certainly see the attraction, especially on a long boring route. And I do believe that it will eventually save lives.等到这趟旅程完结时，我自己也出了自动驾驶技术的拥趸。这项技术是真真切切的。

要说我讨厌它吗？我当然看见了它的优点，特别是在是在行经一段漫长而无趣的道路时。而且我也心里坚信，最后它不会解救许多人的生命。But I write about cars for a living. Fully autonomous driving would consign me to the ranks of scriveners, typesetters and harpoon salesmen. I guess at that point, I’ll be reviewing the fengshui of the interior.不过，我是靠写出汽车新闻经商的。

如果自动驾驶汽车技术几乎成熟期了，我不能去做到代书人、打字员或是买渔具之类的工作。估算到那时候，我也就不能评测一下汽车内饰的风水了。For now, I’ll just say that the A7 self-driving car and I are frenemies.现在，我不能说道A7自动驾驶汽车与我是“亦敌亦贤”的关系。

Sidebar: stages of self-driving cars注记：自动驾驶汽车的发展阶段Hoping for a car that will pick you up at your doorstep, whisk you to work, and then disappear around the block until it returns for you at 5 pm? For many engineers, such a fully automated and self-guiding car is the ultimate goal, but it will be many years until we actually see one.你否飨宴过，你的汽车能像变形金刚一样，每天自动进到门口相接你，载有着你下班，然后自己消失了，直到下午5点钟又来公司相接你？对于很多工程师来说，这种几乎的自动驾驶和自动导航系统汽车仍是一个终极目标，我们有可能还得等很多年才能看到它。Experts have laid out five levels of automation, from the lowest (one) to that full robotic taxi (five).专家们给自动驾驶区分了五个等级，从最低级（一级）到全自动机器人出租车（第五级）。The first level is found on many luxury cars today. It’s referred to as a driver’s assistance program and include automatic cruise control, in which the car will slow or even stop when it senses slower traffic ahead. A lane-assistance system, which helps keep a car from straying beyond lane markings, is also considered level one.当前的很多奢华车型早已不具备了第一级功能。它是指驾驶员的辅助程序，还包括自动巡弋掌控，也就是当汽车感觉到前方车速较快时会自动滑行甚至行驶。

车道辅助系统可以防止车子在行经时越线，它也被视作第一级技术。Level two is a car that can handle several tasks independently of the driver, including parking itself, with the driver outside the car controlling some aspects with a key fob.第二级是指汽车可以瓦解驾驶员，来处置几项任务，还包括自动行驶入位，不过一般来说是驾驶员在车外通过某种遥控器遥控的。Level three is where things get more interesting. The Audi prototype that we tested was level three, and it can negotiate traffic on a pre-ordained route independent of the driver. However, it depends on a driver to be behind the wheel at all times, and to take over control at the beginning and end of the route. It also demands that the driver take back control in any emergency circumstance.第三级更加有意思些。

我们试驾的这辆奥迪原型车就是第三级技术，它可以独立国家于驾驶员，自动在一条预先原作好的道路上行车。但它必须驾驶员全程躺在方向盘后面，并且要在自动驾驶模式开始前和完结后手动驾车。在紧急状况下也必须驾驶员接管车辆。High automation is level four. This car will be able to find a safe area to pull off the road if the driver doesn’t respond to a call of action to take back over. It could also potentially drop you off outside of your building and then pull itself automatically into a pre-ordained spot in the public garage.第四级是高度自动化。

如果驾驶员没有响应汽车交还控制权的拒绝，它甚至可以自己寻找一个安全性的区域停车在路边。它也可能会自动直奔你的楼前相接你，然后自动把自己停车在公共停车场的一个预计车位上。Five is the robotic taxi that would need no driver behind the wheel whatsoever. Which brings us to this question: When are we going go get those flying cars, anyhow?第五级是显然不必须驾驶员躺在方向盘后头的“机器人出租车”。

这也让我们不已想问：那种不会飞来的汽车什么时候才能经常出现呢？。

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