The morning weekday traffic on Flatbush Avenue ebbs and flows with errant periods of rapid starts and bumper-trailing hard stops. On an average day, it's enough to turn any commuter loony. But today, the car of the future—that can accelerate, brake, and steer with relative autonomy—is taking control, and the rush almost feels relaxing.
That's because the Infiniti Q50 is that advanced. No one mandated that the sedan that replaced the mature G37 be a full leap ahead in driver-assistance technology, but Infiniti needed a leg up against a quickly advancing set of competitors.
The Q50's party trick is a suite of servos and electronic trickery that allows it to drive itself, given little input from the driver, thanks to a nifty steer-by-wire system. (A traditional mechanical system is available as a failsafe.) Radars and cameras note lane markings in order to keep the Q50 centered within the lane, and transmit that information to the steering system to actually steer the car through a curve. Even more sensors can detect vehicles in front, behind, and surrounding the Q50, helping to prevent unanticipated crashes. Advanced, adaptive cruise control means that the Q50 will accelerate from, and brake to a full stop, keeping up with the flow of traffic while maintaining distance between the cars around it.
In short, this is the clever, self-driving car you've been waiting for.
A handful of new vehicles offer similar systems, but none work as well. It's almost scary to try the system out in public for the first time, as the car autonomously interacts with other moving objects on the road. In my tests, it eased the stress of highway driving and high-density commuting, seldom setting off any panic alarms.
Not feeling so sure? You can turn every advanced system off, to the point where the Q50 behaves no differently than the Q40 (neé G37) passing by. Should you keep all autonomous systems on, and wish to drive almost hands-free, a light will illuminate every so often, reminding you to at least touch the steering wheel to confirm that you are indeed present.
The seamlessness of the way this technology works almost downplays the intuititve nature of the InTouch infotainment system, which utilizes two display screens to control discrete functions in audio, HVAC, and navigation. The same can be said of the excellent 3.7-liter V-6 engine, the Sebastian Vettel-tuned chassis, and excellent materials and finish inside and out. A performance Q50S and hybrid variants are also available, but the overwhelming feeling you get driving the Q50 is a technological overload—with luxury-sedan credentials in spades.
To borrow loosely from another manufacturer that has also claimed to build the most technological and safe vehicles on the road, the Q50 really is unlike any other of its competitors. The Q50 was the most advanced car I drove this year, and I doubt there will be another one like it until fully autonomous cars eliminate rush hour altogether.
For the last week of 2014, we're recounting some of our most memorable drives of the year. Check back throughout the end of the year for new installments.
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