A virtual cockpit which de-clutters car interiors and presents driver information in a simpler and less distracting way will make its debut in the new Audi TT this autumn and the technology will gradually be introduced across the company’s range.
It will be a standard feature of the TT, though some of its functions – like navigation – will be optional at extra cost in some versions.
Go deeper with GlobalData
There will be no optional head-up display, however. Audi said the hardware would be too difficult to package in a car as small as the TT and the type and quantity of information drivers would want would cover up too much of the shallow windscreen.
In the TT, the virtual cockpit puts the navigation, entertainment, connectivity or car systems information directly in front of the driver on a high-resolution 12.3-inch virtual-display colour monitor, along with the speedometer, rev counter and other essential information. This – as also used in models from other luxury car makers such as Jaguar Land Rover – replaces a conventional instrument cluster.
The driver has the option of changing the display at the touch of a button, so that, say, the navigation map can be given greater prominence than the speedometer.
Audi’s familiar MMI (man-machine interface) dials and buttons remain between the front seats on the centre console but now with fewer buttons. The full system can also be operated from the steering wheel or via voice control.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“It is now possible to enter an MMI search for anything with just four or five characters and there is improved voice recognition so there is no longer any need to use specific phrases,” said Audi’s man in charge of developing operating concepts, Andre Ebner.
The MMI controller is touch-sensitive and also able to recognise handwriting and multi-finger gestures so it can be used like a smartphone. The whole system is powered by two Nvidia processors, being used in an automotive application for the first time.
Audi enrolled 400 people into customer clinics to help develop the system and come up with suggestions to improve usability.
Ebner described the virtual cockpit as “a combination of infotainment and cluster instruments all controlled by a touch pad”. The big screen allows large-scale display of data and improves the flexibility of what can be shown simultaneously, he said.
“It is fast, individual, simple and intelligent.”
In the TT the virtual display is where analogue instruments would normally be partly for packaging reasons and partly so that the driver can access information quickly but, in less sporty cars, a screen in the centre of the dashboard is likely to be retained.
