Although the A8 will be able to drive itself in certain situations, it will still require a driver behind the steering wheel, ready to retake control if the car's sensors are unable to process information.
The driver will be given a warning of about 10 seconds before control is handed back.
The huge increase in safety it would bring meant a driverless car that could operate in all environments, including urban, was inevitable, said Dr Hackenberg, although it was unlikely to appear for about 10 years.
The delay, he said, was due not only to the advances in computing technology required, but also the need for legislation covering driverless vehicles.
He cited the example of somebody driving in a city and facing an unavoidable crash, hitting either an old couple or some children.
"How do we decide for society which is more worthwhile? For that we need a legal basis that makes it clear."
Questions such as this involved intelligent decision making, and would require computer chips "with a capacity that are able to create a virtual intelligence".
Audi is developing the computing system required to make driverless technology work only for its larger, more expensive models.
Not until the next generation of the technology arrives will it filter down to more affordable cars such as the A3 family car.
Driverless technology explained
Driverless cars used to be confined to the realm of science fiction, but now they are on the road.
The driverless revolution has begun with trials in four British locations.
Bristol and Greenwich will examine the challenges of bringing fully automated vehicles on to British roads, and Coventry and Milton Keynes will host tests involving Lutz podcars.
The tests, which could take up to three years, will also analyse the legal and insurance implications of driverless cars.
The driverless technology industry is expected to be worth £900 billion globally by 2025 and is now growing by 16 per cent a year.
The benefits of driverless cars range from reducing the number of accidents to improving emissions compliance and easing congestion. As well, machines are much better at following rules than humans - for example, they don't ignore motorway signs advising drivers to slow down.
Driverless cars are controlled by several systems that work in conjunction with each other.
Radar sensors dotted around the car monitor the position of vehicles nearby. Video cameras detect traffic lights, read road signs and keep track of other vehicles, pedestrians and other obstacles.
Lidar sensors detect the edges of roads and identify lane markings by bouncing pulses of light off the car's surroundings. Ultrasonic sensors in the wheels can detect the position of kerbs and other vehicles when parking.
Finally, a central computer analyses all the data from the various sensors to manipulate steering, acceleration and braking.
-Telegraph Group Ltd
