Piloted driving, digital screens and EVs: Audi debuts new tech

Las Vegas, Nevada - Electrification, digitalisation and piloted driving - Audi is making these three future trends of the automotive industry the focus of its appearance at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Ricky Hudi, executive vice president of electronic development, commented: "We are developing our successful Audi virtual cockpit into the Audi virtual dashboard and creating an entirely new world of experience for our customers. In the future, the entire system will get to know the customer and their habits and preferences, then proactively support them.”

Human-machine interface

The automaker is exhibiting what could be the future of its vehicle interiors at CES with a concept that features large AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) displays with integrated haptic feedback. The new type of multimedia control with “MMI touch response” recognises familiar touch gestures. 

Smartphones and smartwatches can be seamlessly connected. Behind the new operating and display concept is the automaker's next-generation Modular Infotainment Platform, MIB2+.

Watch: Audi CES press conference

The range of online services under the Audi connect umbrella is growing. The smartphone app “Audi MMI connect” offers vehicle-specific remote services. Drivers can display the location of their car on their smartphone, for example.

The Audi e-tron quattro concept, a fully-electric sport SUV, is on display at the CES. It's powered by a hree electric motors for total output of up to 370kW with power distributed to the rear wheels. It's 95kWh battery has a claimed range of up to 500km.

The technology study hints at a future production model to be launched in 2018.

The Audi e-tron quattro concept includes all piloted driving functions, including driving in traffic jams and parking.

The core component of future systems will be the central driver assistance controller, known as the zFAS. The information supplied by sensors – including the signals from the 3D cameras, the laser scanner and the radar and ultrasonic sensors – is fed into and processed by this module. 

The automaker also showed its lighting innovations, including the latest highlights of Matrix OLED technology and Matrix laser technology.

Audi is pushing its Virtual Reality experience – at the car dealership, the automaker says, a sales advisor can configure any Audi model in the device so that customers can virtually experience their dream car wearing a VR headset.  Audi is hoping to become the first car company to introduce a highly advanced VR system in 2016.

Will we see Audi's new tech in South Africa

Audi SA says that all the above mentioned services will not "be available for South Africa at this time, however introduction in future models will be reviewed provided the technology is locally feasible."