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Audi autonomous cars could ease driving drudgery

Self-driving and self-parking Audi technology demonstrator cars show how some of the stress of urban motoring could be alleviated in future

  • Autonomous Audi demonstrators enable drivers to turn their attention to other tasks while in traffic jams and to park by remote control from outside the car
  • Working prototypes shown at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

Audi wants to tackle traffic jam tedium and bring placidity to urban parking. In pursuit of these goals the Vorsprung durch Technik brand has developed two fully operational demonstrators that show how future models could offer ‘hands (and feet)-free’ driving in moving traffic and completely ‘driver-free’ parking.

The first of the two working prototypes, which have been in service at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, shows how piloted driving in traffic jams will in future reduce the driver’s workload in stressful situations, such as in congested traffic. At speeds of between zero and 37mph, the system helps to steer the car within certain constraints, and also accelerates and brakes autonomously.

The car’s speed and the speeds of nearby vehicles are constantly analysed by the piloted system. If it detects a traffic jam from the data at speeds below 37mph, the driver can activate the assistance function. By broadly scanning its surroundings, the system can also work in a temporary lane even in the absence of lane markings. It also reacts cooperatively to cars moving into or out of the lane.

The new system is based on the functionality of Audi adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go, and has exactly the same operating characteristics when moving off and braking, but in this case the system is enhanced by the addition of lateral guidance. Two radar sensors monitor everything up to 250 metres ahead, at a scan angle of around 35 degrees. A wide-angle video camera monitors the lane markings, and can also detect objects such as pedestrians, other vehicles and safety guardrails. Eight ultrasonic sensors monitor the zones directly in front of the car and at its corners. A laser scanner is also used which provides highly precise data over a scanning angle of around 140 degrees up to 80 metres in front of the vehicle.

As an assistance function, piloted driving in a traffic jam enables the driver to devote their attention, within certain limits, to other activities while the system is operating. If the vehicle reaches the limits of the function, for instance if the traffic jam disperses, the driver is prompted to resume control.

No more car park tight squeezes

Struggling to manoeuvre into a parking space or home garage, and then struggling to get out of the car with kids, dogs, pushchairs and other paraphernalia, without damaging it, could be a thing of the past with the help of Audi piloted driving. The advanced system fitted to the second technology demonstrator operating at CES enables the driver to get out of the car in front of the garage or before negotiating a tight parking spot, and to instruct it to autonomously park itself via the remote key fob or a smartphone.

With the help of its sensors, the car drives autonomously into the parking space or the garage under the driver’s supervision, stopping immediately if it detects an obstacle. Once it has reached its final position, it shuts off the engine, deactivates the ignition and locks the doors before finally sending a confirmation to the driver.

Getting out of the garage or parking space is just as convenient. At the touch of a button the vehicle manoeuvres out of the space, and the driver and passengers can easily get in and drive off.

Communication between car and car park

Another parking talent simulated by the demonstrator at CES that could be viable in the longer term involves the car ‘talking’ to the public car park it is entering, enabling it to find the nearest parking space and to guide itself autonomously to that space and then park.

The driver activates the futuristic technology with the aid of a smartphone app, which enables a connection to be established with the car park’s central computer. The central computer takes over part of the control function and guides the vehicle via a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connection to the nearest available parking space. The vehicle’s movements are recorded via external laser sensors and processed with additional movement data by the car park’s computer to pinpoint the vehicle. The central computer also has a map of the car park layout and records parking space occupancy. This information is transmitted to the vehicle and used to plan the route, thus ensuring that the vehicle can actually drive from the starting point to its destination. The vehicle also monitors its surroundings using twelve ultrasound sensors as it moves. In future, four video cameras will also be used.

Audi is currently in the process of equipping a car park in its base town of Ingolstadt, Germany, with the relevant technology

 
Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Elegance in the extreme – the New Audi RS 7 Sportback

0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds and 189mph top speed earn executive class Sportback the right to wear the world renowned RS badge

  • New RS 7 Sportback makes its debut at the North American International Automobile Show (Jan 14-27)
  • Available to order in the UK in the summer priced at approximately £84,000 OTR – first UK deliveries in the latter part of 2013
  • Powered by V8 biturbo petrol engine with cylinder-on-demand technology – 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, top speed governed at 155mph but can be increased on demand to 174mph or 189mph, up to 28.8mpg possible (combined)
  • Eight-speed tiptronic transmission, quattro all-wheel-drive with sport differential, standard RS-specific adaptive air suspension with option of steel-sprung suspension incorporating Dynamic Ride Control (DRC)

Audi is to bring some searing heat to the bitter cold of Detroit this week as the new RS 7 Sportback makes its world public debut at the North American International Automobile Show. Combining seductive curves with slingshot performance, the newcomer uses twin-turbo V8 power to send its acceleration time plunging to just 3.9 seconds and its top speed climbing to 189mph. It also employs advanced cylinder-on-demand technology to ensure that economy holds true to Audi efficiency ambitions, with up to 28.8mpg possible despite the ferocious pace.

Available to order in the summer of 2013 priced in the region of £84,000 OTR, and due in the UK towards the end of the year, the RS 7 Sportback shares its 4.0-litre V8 TFSI engine with the recently announced RS 6 Avant. This means that with the help of its two turbochargers formidable peak power of 560PS arrives between 5,700 and 6,700 rpm, and peak torque of 700 Nm is constantly available between 1,750 and 5,500 rpm.

The two large twin-scroll turbochargers located, along with the intercooler, inside the ‘V’ of the cylinder banks, produce up to 1.2 bar of boost pressure, helping to generate incredible accelerative force. The RS-specific engine management and unthrottled intake system also contribute to the engine’s dramatic response, and this is delivered with all the charisma expected of a V8. Switchable flaps in the exhaust system can make the sound even fuller at the touch of a button, and customers seeking an even more dramatic drive can choose a sports exhaust system from the options list.

Variable top speed

‘Standard specification’ in performance terms for the new RS 7 Sportback – although anything but standard – is a phenomenal 0-62mph acceleration time of just 3.9 seconds and a governed 155mph top speed. Customers with Autobahn aspirations can increase the latter to 174mph by specifying the optional Dynamic package, and boost it even further still with the Dynamic plus package, which calls a halt to acceleration at 189mph.

Despite performance of this magnitude, the RS 7 Sportback nevertheless manages to maintain a firm grasp on reality where economy is concerned. Thanks partly to an engine start-stop system and innovative thermal management technology, but primarily to the new engine’s cylinder on demand (COD) system, it can cover up to 28.8mpg according to the combined cycle test. At low to intermediate loads and engine speeds, the cylinder-on-demand system shuts down the intake and exhaust valves of cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8. The engine then runs as a four-cylinder until the driver demands strong accleration. Efficiency in the active cylinders is increased because the operating points are displaced toward higher loads.

The switch between four and eight-cylinder operation takes just a few hundredths of a second, and the only real indication to the driver that it is taking place is a visual signal within the instrument cluster. The COD technology reduces ECE fuel consumption by roughly five per cent. Even greater savings of approximately 10 per cent are possible when driving at moderate speeds. Active engine mounts use out-of-phase counter-oscillations to compensate for the vibrations that occur during four-cylinder operation.

The 4.0-litre TFSI is paired with the familiar, and highly favoured, eight-speed tiptronic transmission featuring shortened shift times and offering ‘Sport’ and ‘Manual’ modes in addition to the standard ‘Drive’ setting. For manual shifts drivers can use the paddles on the steering wheel or the RS-specific selector lever. The lower gears of the tiptronic are tightly spaced for optimum performance, while a tall eighth gear reduces fuel consumption.

In the RS 7 Sportback the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system which is one of the hallmarks of the RS lineage incorporates torque vectoring, a self-locking centre differential with an elevated locking value and a sport differential on the rear axle to distribute power steplessly between the rear wheels.

RS 7 adaptive air suspension

The unparalleled controllability the quattro system imparts is complemented in the RS 7 Sportback by impressive ride refinement which comes courtesy of adaptive air suspension with RS-specific settings. The specially tuned set-up lowers the body by 20 millimetres, and incorporates damping with configurable settings. As an alternative, sports suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) will also be available. This system employs steel springs and three-way adjustable shock absorbers that are interconnected diagonally by means of oil lines and a central valve for improved body roll stability.

Both set-ups are controllable via the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system, which enables the driver to choose between Comfort or Dynamic modes depending on their preference, or an Automatic mode in which sensors automatically adjust the settings based on driving style, speed and prevailing conditions. An Individual mode is also available in which the driver can assign one of these three settings to each individual component of the driving experience, from the suspension or steering weighting to the throttle response and the sport differential. It will also be possible to further enhance the adaptability of the steering by choosing the extra cost dynamic steering option, which allows the driver to steplessly vary the actual ratio and boost and can also be controlled via the Audi drive select system.

The exceptional performance and handling calls for brakes of the first order, and in the RS 7 Sportback the four internally vented discs with their weight-saving wave-like outer contour more than meet the brief. The front discs measure 390 millimetres in diameter and are gripped by six-piston calipers which are available in either black or red. Also available as an option are carbon fibre-ceramic brake discs with anthracite grey calipers which measure 420 millimetres in diameter.

Polished 20-inch alloy wheels in a seven twin-spoke design will be standard for UK RS 7 Sportback models, and three 21-inch cast wheels will be available at extra cost.

20 per cent aluminium

The body plays a major role not only in the handling, but also in heightening the sense of refinement and precision engineering the RS 7 Sportback exudes. It comprises roughly 20 per cent aluminium, and a sizeable proportion of components made from high-strength steel, and is notable for its outstanding rigidity.

Numerous RS-specific design details subtly embellish the body without detracting from its elegantly tapering lines. Most noticeable are the matt titanium applications, the high gloss black honeycomb radiator grille, exclusive bumper design and, at the rear, a diffuser and two large, elliptical exhaust tailpipes. In common with the other members of the A7 Sportback range, the RS 7 Sportback is also pinned more securely to the road by an electrically extending rear spoiler providing additional downforce.

Nine exterior colours, including the new Nardo Grey and the exclusive Daytona Grey matte, will be available, along with two optional exterior design packages – Matt Aluminium or Carbon – which give the RS 7 Sportback an even more distinctive stance.

The interior of the RS 7 Sportback conveys the sporting theme with similar subtlety, but leaves passengers in no doubt that they are travelling in a very special Audi flagship. RS logos appear in the dials with their black faces, white dials and red needles, on the flat-bottomed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, in the illuminated entry sills, in the rev counter and in the displays for the MMI and the colour Driver’s Information System (DIS). They are also punched into the front RS super sports seats with their pronounced bolsters, integrated head rests and honeycomb-quilted Valcona leather upholstery. The two-seat rear bench also has pronounced contours for optimum grip. A combination of Alcantara and leather can be specified as a no-cost alternative upholstery option, and power-adjustable front comfort seats can also be added at extra cost to replace the more overtly sporting RS originals.

New shift light feature

A new feature in the RS menu of the DIS is the shift light. Green segments are illuminated as revs increase. The bar turns red and begins to blink when revs approach the red line. Displays for the gear selected, boost pressure, oil temperature and a digital speedometer round out the RS 7-specific driver information system.

The footrest, pedals and switches in the MMI navigation plus terminal have an aluminium look which contrasts with the piano finish for the decorative bezel surrounding the retractable monitor and the carbon inlays. A black headlining is standard, but Moon Silver or black Alcantara options are also available.

As befits the ultimate incarnation of the A7 Sportback, the RS 7 will feature a generous list of standard equipment, and it will be possible to upgrade this list even further with a portfolio of exceptional driver assistance, driver entertainment and driver information systems, including adaptive cruise control, night vision, the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with 15 speakers and 1,200 watts of total power and mobile phone preparation – High with Audi connect, bringing web-based services to the car.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Audi does the maths to clarify new car running costs

New online fuel calculator offers users the opportunity to compare and contrast models to find the Audi best suited to their budget

  • New online fuel calculator at audi.co.uk allows comparison between current Audi models in terms of purchase price, fuel economy and estimated fuel costs
  • Allows users to input detail such as average annual mileage, expected ownership duration and local fuel costs for the most relevant predictions
  • Customers can submit a test drive request directly from the calculator once their preferred Audi is selected

Comparing how far the latest Audi models will stretch each pound spent at the fuel pumps has just become considerably easier thanks to a new online fuel cost calculator which is available free on audi.co.uk.

The useful tool enables new customers in search of their ideal Audi, or existing owners looking to upsize or downsize, to easily establish which model will best suit their budget by mixing and matching different body styles, model classes, trim levels and fuel types. Each time a pair of models is selected, the system provides a virtually instantaneous calculation of the potential financial benefit of choosing one model over the other.

To make the figures that are generated as precise and relevant as possible, the calculator enables users to input their projected annual mileage right down to the last mile, the duration in years they would like the calculation to cover, the specific MPG figure they want to use for comparison (urban/extra urban/combined) and the anticipated price per litre of fuel. The latter is automatically added based on the national average according to the AA Fuel Price Report, which is updated monthly, but prevailing prices at the user’s local filling station can also be entered manually. 

The calculator displays the official government fuel economy figure for each model chosen (based on the urban, extra urban or combined option selected), and uses this, along with the other preset parameters, to predict totals for fuel expenditure over the chosen period (between one  year and seven years) based on the current fuel price. From these it then calculates the monthly, and annual, sum that would be saved by choosing the more economical of the two models selected. Differences in purchase price are also clearly displayed.

Taking the all-new A3 three-door compact hatchback as an example, the calculator quickly shows that the 1.4 TFSI 122PS SE petrol model is £950 cheaper as an outright purchase than the 1.6 TDI  105PS SE diesel, but that a driver covering 10,000 miles in a year on average could save very nearly this sum at the pumps by choosing the 1.6 TDI, though only after three years. This makes it easier for drivers to tailor their choice of model to suit how, and for how long, they tend to use a car.

Once the user has arrived at a decision, a test drive in the chosen car can then be simply arranged by clicking on a button at the foot of the page.

The audi.co.uk online fuel calculator can be accessed by clicking on the “Explore Models” tab at the top of the home page and then clicking the “calculate fuel costs” option.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Audi A3 Sportback is 2013 What Car? Car of the year

Lightweight construction technology is embraced in the future of furniture

  • Pioneering Audi R18 Ultra Chair unveiled at Design Miami/, developed using the same technology employed in Audi racing cars
  • Made from carbon fibre, carbon and high-strength sheet aluminium, it weighs just 2.2kgs
  • Digital designers Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram worked in collaboration with Audi engineers to develop the prototype

The seemingly humble household chair has just undergone a Vorsprung durch Technik makeover inspired by the Audi sports prototype that competed in the Le Mans 24-hour race this year, resulting in a tremendous 1-2-3 finish. The visually stunning R18 Ultra Chair was revealed earlier this month at the prestigious Design Miami/ show to a global audience.

Masterminded by designers Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram, and developed using the most efficient and sustainable processes, the R18 Ultra Chair is made from a mix of carbon fibre, carbon and high-strength sheet aluminium. This combination guarantees maximum stability and comfort with minimum consumption of materials, and also ensures that the chair is almost feather-light to lift.

The striking chair appeared first in prototype form at the Milan Furniture Fair in April this year, where it was fitted with an array of sensors capable of collecting data on the forces at play whenever the chair was used. Some 1,500 testers took the opportunity to try it out, and in the process informed the evolution of its design. In conjunction with engineers at the Audi Lightweight Construction Centre, the designers used the data to optimise their prototype, resulting in a finished product which embodies the principles of Audi ultra lightweight construction – through the intelligent deployment of advanced materials, high strength and exceptionally low weight have been achieved – in this case a total weight of just 2.2 kilograms.

Dr. Karl Durst, an engineer in fibre-reinforced composites at the Audi Lightweight Construction Centre, explains the finished product: “We combine the strengths of the materials in such a way that their weaknesses are no longer important. This efficiency is the focus of our ultra lightweight construction principle.”

The R18 Ultra Chair is the design duo’s second project for Audi after the widely acclaimed, award-winning installation OUTRACE on London’s Trafalgar Square in 2010. Described as ‘the vanguard of the next generation of digital designers’, permanent collections display the work of Weisshaar and Kram at the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Audi has been the exclusive automotive partner of Design Miami/, the most influential international design forum, since 2006 and has a sense of obligation to design and technology in equal measure. In recent years, the brand with the four rings has commissioned installations by international designers and architects such as Tom Dixon, Moritz Waldemeyer, Mirko Borsche and Bjarke Ingels, and is committed to promoting design culture and research.

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

Audi A1 sportback takes efficiency trophy in Business Car Manager Awards

Premium subcompact five-door model wins first accolade to join host of honours awarded to A1 family

  • A1 Sportback wins Most Cost-Efficient Car for an SME Company Car Driver
  • Praised for its “low cost, low CO2 and good brand appeal” by judges
  • 1.6 TDI SE version with 105PS and CO2 of 99g/km is available now, priced at £14,700 OTR

The Audi A1 Sportback has won a key award in the annual Business Car Manager SME Company Car of the Year Awards 2012, proving it has pride of place alongside its hugely successful three-door sister model.

Judges in the awards, run in association with MAGMA Automotive Services, singled out the A1 Sportback as Most Cost-Efficient Car for an SME Company Car Driver.

Editor of Business Car Manager, Ralph Morton explained: "The Audi A1 Sportback encapsulates everything that's welcome about company car downsizing: a premium badge for car park credibility, low CO2 emissions for reduced company car tax exposure, and running costs that put a stranglehold on any business motoring expenditure."

James Douglas, Head of Fleet Sales at Audi UK, added: “It is fantastic to see the A1 Sportback regarded so highly for its efficiency credentials. The 1.6 TDI engine is capable of achieving 74.3mpg whilst only emitting 99g/km. Practical and with a premium feel inside and out, it is a genuinely exciting company car choice.”

Article source: www.audi.co.uk

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