LIVE FROM CES 2013: German car giant Audi outlined its connected car credentials at CES today, announcing that it has become the first car-maker to be licensed by Nevada to test ‘driverless’ cars in the state.

Google was awarded a similar licence in May last year.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Audi’s electronics chief Ricky Hudi (pictured) said that “piloted driving” – the firm’s preferred term for autonomously operated vehicles – would “become a reality in this decade.”

Piloted driving was one of the five “mega trends” identified by Hudi in the connected car space. The others were seen as connectivity (providing real-time traffic information, for example); human interfaces (eg: voice recognition); lighting; and infotainment.

“Electronics are a key part of our present and future strategy that will help us differentiate ourselves from our competitors,” added Audi’s R&D chief Wolfgang Durheimer. “Today’s cars are rolling computers.”