Audi is living up to its Vorsprung durch Technik (progress through technology) mantra. The German firm’s boss, Rupert Stadler, addressed the CES 2011 show in Las Vegas, and confirmed the next generation of in-car technology that will grace the firm’s cars over the next few years.
Key to this is a new Multi-media Interface (MMI). At present, the system features a control wheel and buttons mounted on the centre console which scroll through the sat-nav and audio settings on a central screen.
The next generation of the system arrives in the new A3 next year, and features an enlarged control wheel which not only turns, but has a touchpad on its top. The pad will allow drivers to zoom in and out using a pinching action, just like the way an iPhone works, and allows the driver to input a sat-nav or stereo command by drawing the letters on the touchpad with their finger.
The firm also confirmed that it has over 100 engineers working on the system, and the next generation of MMI too, which ditches more buttons and the control wheel completely.
Audi is also working on a programmable instrument display which replaces conventional dashboard dials with a TFT screen. Measuring 30cm diagonally, the driver can choose how the speed, revs and other information are displayed, including choosing the type of dial, fonts and colours.
The firm’s final innovation is a next generation of head-up display. Instead of offering the current system which has information displayed in one place, hovering above the bonnet, Audi’s new system expands to a much greater portion of the windscreen.
At the show, the firm used the example of a sat-nav system which instead of just showing the direction you should turn, projects an arrow when you near the junction, which grows larger as you approach so you never miss a turn.
