AudiConnect
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Audi competition aims to unlock the potential of connected cars
We've all heard about how connected and self-driving cars from Google, BMW and others are going to change our lives, but how? Audi wants to find out with its Urban Future Award, a four-city, multidisciplinary competition. Each team has a different quest, but all center around the ways that connected cars -- like Audi's "Piloted Driving" model -- can make city transportation better. For example, a Boston group will see if vehicles can take up less space using self-parking features, while in Seoul, researchers will help connected commuters socialize over in-dash displays. The Berlin team will bridge private and public transit for more efficient commuting and, finally, Mexico City's crew will crowdsource traffic data to reduce the city's notorious congestion. Audi will update each project regularly in its blog, with the best plan taking a $140,000 prize.
Audi's in-car LTE starts at $99 for six months of service and 5GB of data
Audi's been talking about its in-car LTE for awhile, but how much it'll cost hasn't been clear until now. A six-month plan with 5GB of data will run $99, while a 30-month plan with 30GB runs $499, both through AT&T. However, you'll snag half-a-year's service absolutely free should you drive off the lot in one of the new A3 sedans equipped with Audi Connect. The German automaker says it plans to roll the feature out to its entire model line this year, which should give quite a few options to choose from if you're in the market. The pricing is a bit steeper than what the outfit's offered before, but the T-Mobile plans were for 3G connectivity -- next-gen infotainment has a need for speed.
Audi S3 Sportback gets built-in LTE, available in other models this fall
Audi was late to the party with an in-car hotspot, but it may have beaten the competition to built-in LTE. High-speed mobile broadband is now a feature available to S3 Sportbacks from July (you'll need to provide your own SIM), with other A3 variants catching up in November. The company's Audi Connect infotainment system benefits from this boost, and that LTE connection can be shared with passengers looking to stay under their data caps. No matter what kind of speed freak you are, you've now got a data connection to match the car's quarter-mile prowess.
Audi hits up Inrix to add parking spot finder to Audi Connect dash systems
While there are smartphones apps that take some of the hassle out of finding parking, Audi's bringing similar time- and frustration-saving features to a different screen in your ride, through its Audi Connect infotainment systems. Announced at the Telematics Detroit conference, Audi is tapping Inrix's parking spot data so you can find car-friendly floor space from within its dashboard navigation platform. After telling the car where you want to go, you'll have the option to see parking info at the journey's end, including the nearest locations, operating hours, prices and real-time space availability, depending on what data is available from each garage. The sat-nav will also direct you straight to the entrance of the lot, and should you want to know what that entrance looks like, Google Street View will show you. Audi's new parking feature should start hitting Connect-equipped cars from today via an OTA update, so the "finding a space was a nightmare" excuse won't fly next time you're late. But don't worry, we won't tell anyone. Update: Turns out that Inrix gets its data from ParkMe, the makers of the app we link to in the first sentence, which explains why Audi's new feature is so similar.
Audi Connect gets new T-Mobile data plans
If a vehicle outfitted with Audi Connect has found its way into your garage, T-Mobile has a pair of new data plans for you to consider. Dropping $450 nets car owners 30 months of "full data services" to power the infotainment system, which packs features including Google Earth, real-time Sirius XM Traffic info and even WiFi for up to eight devices. Drivers who aren't in the market for such a long term commitment can pony up $30 every month instead. Hit the jump for the full press release from Audi and the UnCarrier.
Audi to take NVIDIA powered MIB systems global, drive Tegra through Asian, North American markets
NVIDIA and Audi have been building high-end infotainment systems for some time, but until now, the best of the team's efforts have only been available to European drivers. Not anymore -- NVIDIA announced today that Audi's latest Tegra-based MIB high-end is ready to hit the road, and is due to arrive in major markets in Asia, the US and Canada by 2014. The system uses a variety of technologies to offer drivers live updates from Google Earth real-time updates on gas prices and even weather forecasts. Audi says it's planning to bring the MIB systems to all of it's new vehicles, and is also pimping the tech out to other brands, such as Volkswagen and Skoda. The company didn't specify which Tegra chip would be making the international tour, but NVIDIA general manager Taner Ozcelik suggests that upgrading the system to the company's latest is a relatively smooth process. "NVIDIA's modular VCM approach lets companies like Audi quickly move from a Tegra 2 processor, to a Tegra 3 and beyond." Read on for the company's official press release.
CES 2012: Automotive roundup
It's always a nice break from ultrabooks, smartphones and massive OLED TVs to catch a glimpse of the new auto tech that will be rolling out in the months to come. This year's focus at CES was infotainment and software add-ons for a handful of manufacturers and models. Sure, the plug-in Fusion was a highlight, but for the most part, the emphasis on on-board screens and content delivery while you're blazin' down Route 66. Read on for some highlights from the week that was.
Hands-on with NVIDIA-powered Audi Connect
Last year Audi announced a partnership with NVIDIA to pack its next generation Audi Connect infotainment system with the chip-maker's Tegra graphics processor. The chipset is part of Audi's new modular multimedia system – dubbed MMX – which allows the automaker to upgrade the guts of its infotainment system as new hardware comes to market. Today, Audi showed off the fruits of their tie-up. The new Audi Connect system is set to arrive in the 2013 A3 and Audi trotted out a mock-up of the new compact hatch's interior to show off the next-gen system here at CES. The Touchpad (no, not that one) originally fitted to the Audi A7 and A8 has been incorporated into the MMI knob, allowing users to write individual letters to input destinations, point-of-interest and web searches in place of tedious scrolling. Audi also swapped the traditional buttons flanking the MMI knob with new toggle switches, all of which will make their way to other Audi models in the coming years. Finally, there's the ultra-thin seven-inch LCD powered by that Tegra chip, which renders 3D animations with ease, along with displaying Google Earth navigation and Google Street View images. Check it all out in the video after the jump.
Audi Connect signs contract with T-Mobile, surprised like the rest of us by the AT&T thing
T-Mobile subscribers at this point are preparing for what could be a new, blue overlord, and now you can count Audi among the ranks of those wondering what's next. Yesterday the company with the rings signed on with the company with the magenta to power its Audi Connect system on US cars. It'll launch first with the 2012 Audi A7, where it will provide the wireless data pipe through which the car's MMI infotainment system will pull down Google Earth imagery, Local Search POIs, Sirius Traffic information, and even act like a Quattro hotspot for folks in the back seat. Audi's not specified how much this service will cost, but "not free" sounds like a safe bet for now.
Audi starts calling its vehicular broadband plans 'Audi connect,' partners with Alcatel for LTE internet
Audi's had grand designs on the connected car for years now, and is presently looking to upgrade to LTE, but first it's time to address the most important consideration -- marketing the stuff effectively. To that end, Audi's unifying its infotainment initiatives under the brand Audi Connect, so it will be absolutely clear how you can pimp your ride with tech when you walk into an Audi dealership. That is, if you don't already have Audi Connect, because the company claims it's already present in the A8, A7 and A6. Those three automobiles can presently add an optional UMTS modem for online apps, though Audi's also working with Alcatel-Lucent to bring faster LTE connectivity by 2014. Expect a software update sooner than that: this summer, Audi hopes to add live traffic data and voice commands to control a suite of Google services as well. Find more details at our source links.
