Audi Releases Statement on Helicopter Incident on Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak Colorado; September 17, 2010; CNN reported that a helicopter carring 4 persons, that was being used to film a commercial crashed in clear weather on Pike Peak. Rescue crews took one person to the hospital by helicopter and three others by ambulance, but their conditions were not immediately known, said Teresa Murphy of the El Paso County Sheriff's Department.

HERNDON, VA - September 17, 2010: Audi is saddened by the helicopter incident that took place this morning near the summit of Pikes Peak. Today’s film crew was shooting a test run of the “Autonomous Audi TTS Pikes Peak,” a joint program involving Audi, the Electronic Research Laboratory in Palo Alto, California, and Stanford University. The goal of the project involves ascending Pikes Peak autonomously without a driver behind the wheel to demonstrate the capabilities of advanced driver assistance systems and GPS. The car was not involved in the incident.

Further information on the helicopter incident will be released by the National Transportation Safety Board and local law enforcement officials. All research activities on Pikes Peak have been suspended. The research project will continue at a later date.