For those of you not-in-the-know the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place this past weekend in Las Vegas. Seeing as Audi is a brand with a strong focus on technology, the German automaker held a strong presence at the world’s most important electronics show.
Audi’s focus at the CES to be exact? Good things come in threes and their focal point is electrification, digitalization and piloted driving. Already lauded for their user friendliness, Audi is expanding its operating and display concept (known as HMI — human machine interface) with novel solutions.
“The interior of the future will radically alter the way our customers operate and experience things in the vehicle. 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,” Audi Executive Vice President Electronic Development Ricky Hudi says.
On display at the 2016 CES? The Brand with the Four Rings exhibited an interior model showcasing and HMI concept featuring large AMOLED (active matrix organic light-emitting diode) displays with integrated technological feedback. For example, the vehicle will now recognize familiar patterns and habits for the driver. Smartphones are now seamlessly connected, too. No glitches there!
Perhaps the biggest news from the CES? The Audi e-tron quattro concept study. This fully electric sport SUV illustrates Audi’s electrification strategy. How does it work, precisely? Three electric motors with total output of up to 370 kW enable quattro drive and electric torque vectoring, in which power is distributed to the rear wheels as necessary. The result? Maximum dynamics and stability. The 95 kWh battery allows for a range of up to 310.7 miles.
Also of note? The Audi e-tron quattro concept includes all piloted driving functions, including piloted driving in traffic jams and piloted parking — huge, I know! But Audi aficionados will have to wait as the brand hints at a future production model to be launched in 2018.
If there’s one takeaway from this past weekend: Audi continues to be on the cutting edge of technology.
