Audi roaring to go in 2017 with new Audi models

Imagine this - You are in the driver's seat, behind the steering wheel of your car. And yet, you are not driving it. Instead, you are checking your emails on your mobile device and sipping a cuppa that is freshly brewed from Starbucks. A dream? Not really. This could become a reality very soon. And Audi is taking the lead in making this fantasy come true.  In conjunction with the CES keynote address by processing chip maker NVIDIA Corporation, Audi has announced that it is leveraging on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the platform for autonomous driving in its cars.  Using the Audi Q7 as the test-bed in this program, Audi demonstrated how the Q7 oriented itself by means of a frontal two-megapixel camera and a NVIDIA Drive PX2 Processing Unit. Known as deep learning concept, the component from NVIDIA, which is specially engineered for autonomous driving applications, was able to control the car's steering with high precision. But the truth is, the reality of autonomous driving, or better known as piloted driving, is much more complexed than the mere act of moving off and slowing down. (The Audi Q7 is used as the test-bed for AI autonomous driving.) To ensure the safety of every road-user, the application of AI has to be part of the equation. Therefore, even before piloted driving can be rolled out, human intervention, in the form of "coaching" the vehicle on where to go and when to stop, must first be in place. In the case of Audi's trial, beginning with a human driver at the wheel, the AI-fitted Audi Q7 will first collate data on its route and the surroundings, through the use of cameras. These data will subsequently establish a correlation between the driver’s reactions and the occurrences detected by the cameras. With repeated actions, the car will begin to understand instructions and interpret them right away and act as the situation requires. When a corresponding signal appears, the Audi Q7 immediately changes the driving strategy and selects either the short route or the long one. According to Audi, the AI system is so robust that it can even cope with disturbance variables such as changing weather and light conditions. Audi contented that the Q7's deep learning concept is very much like the teaching method - deep reinforcement learning - that we experienced in school. This method is also the same principle that backs Audi's presence at the Conference and Workshop on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), an AI event held in Barcelona in December last year. Still confused? Simply put, the AI-fitted Audi Q7 that we were talking about is actually learning from the driver and then applying that same set of knowledge when it is activated in piloted driving mode. Audi believes that AI will be a game-changing key technology for piloted driving. This marks the reason why it sees a lot of value in partnering NVIDIA Corporation, which is perhaps the world's chip maker, to create the hardware and software for Audi's autonomous cars. In fact, Audi has been working with NVIDIA Corporation since 2005. The Audi A4 model has been using chips from NVIDIA Corporation since 2007. The Modular Infotainment Platform (MIB), which was introduced in Audi line-up in 2013, featured the Tegra 2 processor from NVIDIA Corporation. MIB2, the succeeding generation of Audi's in-cabin infotainment system, which appeared in the Audi Q7 in 2015, run on a NVIDIA T 30 processor. Audi is currently working on the MIB2+, which is set to debut this year in the next-generation Audi A8. With the NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor as the heart of the system, onboard and online information will combine to making the A8 more inclusive. Thanks to the chip, the next-generation Audi A8 will also feature the central driver assistance controller (zFAS). Mobileye, another partner of Audi, will be incorporating its image processing chip in the zFAS. Regarded as the world leader in the field of image recognition for automotive applications, the high-tech Israeli company is already supplying a camera for use in a range of Audi models – the Audi Q7, the A4/A5 series and the new Q5 – and the product’s image processing software can recognize a large number of objects. These include lane markings, vehicles, traffic signs and pedestrians.

The Audi A3 series has a rich heritage. The first generation of the Audi A3 was introduced 21 years ago, and would go on to become one of the premium compact series in the history of automobiles. Thriving on its success story, Audi has continued to pursue the journey to perfect with the latest generation of its A3 series - the A3 Sportback, the A3 Sedan, the A3 Cabriolet, the S3 Sportback and the S3 Sedan. Excited about the evolution of the Audi A3 series, Mr Jeff Mannering, the Managing Director of Audi Singapore, said: “This generation of the Audi A3 has already been an incredible success story for Audi in Singapore. Today’s range reflects our continued commitment to offer the best technologies and features to our customers. From the new 1.0 TFSI engine in the Audi A3 Sportback and Sedan to the new transmission and increased performance on the S versions, the Audi A3 and S3 range continues to set the benchmark in the compact premium car segment in Singapore." The Audi S3 Sedan True to Audi's creed of seeking perfection, every Audi A3 model has undergone a transformation of varying extent. The entry-level Audi A3 Sportback and Sedan variants now comes with more premium features, which include full LED lighting and the optionally-available Audi virtual cockpit and MMI navigation plus with MMI touch. The taillights, backlights and bumper have been extensively redesigned. Under its hood, both models, for the first time ever, are fitted with a three-cylinder 1.0-litre TFSI engine. Despite its minuscule displacement, the engine whips out a whopping 115-horsepower and 200 newton-metre of torque. The top-end model, the Audi S3, which comes with a new seven-speed S tronic transmission with coasting function, now packs more power (5-horsepower) and torque (20 newton-metre) than its predecessor. New Cockpit: From Analog to Digital The Audi A3 has a humble beginning, rolling off the first and second generations with an analog speedometer and tachometer. In the latest offering, the new A3 gives you the option to install the Audi virtual cockpit as your central control panel. In the Audi S3, this features comes as a standard. Every vital sign of the car will be displated on the 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT screen. The driver can even swtich between two views by pressing the “View” button on the multifunction steering wheel. In Classic mode, the digitalised instruments are as large as conventional analog instruments. Whereas, in Infotainment mode, a central application window fills the display, with nicely-positioned menus that bring out navigation maps and easy-to-read lists from the Telephone, Radio and Audio functions. Tachometer and speedometer will also be displayed around the window as small round gauges. Faster and Better Transmission and Engine From the second generation, every Audi A3 comes with racing-inspired electrohydraulic dual-clutch transmission. The result of it is a more-enabled and sporty drive that gives little hint of breaks in propulsive power. Today, nearly every A3 model uses the the S tronic dual-clutch transmission. In the Audi A3 Sportback and Sedan versions, the adoption of the 1.0-litre TFSI three-cylinder engine produces 115-horsepower and 200 newton-metre of torque when the car is cruising between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm. It takes just a mere 4.8 seconds to lift the Sportback and Sedan from 1 to 100 kilometres per hour. The Audi S3 comes with more power - 5-horsepower and 20 newton-metre torque more - than its predecessor. The new seven-speed S tronic, a feature found in the Audi S3, now comes with a coasting feature. When the driver lifts his or her foot from the accelerator pedal in mode D or E, the transmission shifts to freewheeling which offers fuel-savings. Full LED: The Future of Lighting Systems The latest generation of the A3 series features Full LED headlights and rear lights with dynamic indicators. Audi will not compromise on anything that is lesser than Full LED. Sporty Inside and Out What makes the Audi S3 so appealing is the dynamism of its exterior design. The S-specific Singleframe grill bears horizontal chrome-plated double struts and the S logo. The lower air inlets sport a distinctive grid design, and the exterior mirror housings are housed in aluminum, which offers a premium feel. The side view is accentuated by angular sill trims in the vehicle color.  Clad in black, the Audi S3's interior is a picture of elegance and sportiness all combined into one. The pedal caps and footrests are stainless steel. An S logo on the MMI monitor greets the driver when the ignition is switched on. At the lower edge, the S3’s virtual cockpit also renders a boost pressure indicator for the turbocharger. Instead of the production sport seats, Audi will optionally install S sport seats with integrated head restraints and shoulder inserts in a diamond pattern. On the S3 Sportback, its roof edge spoiler adds to its aggressiveness. On the S3 Sedan, its separation edge adds another striking feature. The platinum gray diffusor frames the four elliptical tailpipes of the exhaust system. More Than Four Million Units Delivered Since 1996 With more than 20 years in the making, Audi has produced more than 50 variants in over 100 markets. As part of its quality assurance, Audi produces the Audi A3, the A3 Sportback, the A3 Sportback e-tron and the A3 Sportback g-tron models at its site in Ingolstadt. In 2001, Audi expanded its production line to include a facility in Győr, Hungary. At present, the Audi A3 Sedan and the A3 Cabriolet are manufactured from there. At last count, Audi made a total of more four million A3s. Available at Audi Centre Singapore, the Audi A3 series starts at S$133,200 while the S3 is priced from S$232,700. Prices are inclusive of COE and after CEVS.  

The Audi Q2* has won the gold in the German Design Award. At the award ceremony today in Frankfurt am Main, the compact SUV secured the highest award for “Excellent Production Design – Transportation.”