Future Porsches to drive themselves – like Mark Webber

Amid the headlong rush to autonomous vehicles, Porsche says its cars will always offer their drivers the option of actually driving them.

But the German sports car maker's global boss Oliver Blume also says the company is exploring "interesting" self-driving advances such an app that could see Australia's former Formula 1 ace Mark Webber become your personal coach to make you a better driver.

Speaking to motoring.com.au in an interview at the Geneva motor show, Blume said that self-driving technology could one day extend to an autonomous racetrack lapping mode function developed with the help of Webber, who retired last last year after becoming the world sports car racing champion but remains a Porsche ambassador and presented the new 911 GT3 in Geneva yesterday.

Blume said Porsche drivers will always be able to drive themselves, but the Volkswagen Group's autonomous vehicle tech will bring with it the option to have your car drive itself in heavy traffic or valet park itself.

"When you are in a traffic jam the car will be able to move you through the traffic jam, you will be able to read a newspaper," he said.

"When you are going to a restaurant in the evening and everything is fully parked the car is looking for parking and at the end you can go for the car and it will fetch you from the restaurant.

"[But] The most important thing for Porsche drivers is to drive. We'll have a steering wheel in future -- always."

Beyond the usual self-driving functions expected to become reality at least in luxury cars from next decade, Porsche global chief said his company could explore the potential for high-speed, hands-free autonomous driving onpre-programmed racetracks using the same cameras, sensors and computers and employing data from professional racers like Webber.

The idea would be to demonstrate the performance potential of different Porsche models and assist driver development by presenting optimum racing lines, braking points and the like.

"There are some very interesting options for us to look at here," Blume said.

"For example, when you go on a racetrack there is an opportunity for Mark Webber to 'drive' you through the racetrack and you see where the car is braking, where it is accelerating, which is the perfect line for the racetrack.

"Afterwards you're driving by yourself and you can match and learn... OK, Mark Webber brakes there, accelerating there...

"It's Mark Webber, you are sitting there in the car, the car is driving for you like Mark Webber and afterwards you're driving by yourself. It might be a very interesting option."

Blume believes the concept would be an ideal way to showcase Porsche models and improve driver safety by increasing skill levels, making it a unique selling proposition, but the idea of a car driving itself at speed on a closed course isn't new, with Audi sending a TTS up Colorado's famous Pikes Peak hill climb as early as 2010.