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Volkswagen terminates the contract of embattled Audi CEO
Volkswagen has terminated the contract of suspended Audi CEO Rupert Stadler effective immediately. According to a press release, the decision appears to be mutual. Stadler cannot fulfill his duties to the company or board because he's currently in pretrial detention. A press release notes that he "wishes to concentrate on his defence," and as a result, he will no longer work in any capacity for the Volkswagen Group.
Audi is adding Alexa to the E-Tron and other select models
Audi is joining the growing list of automakers, including BMW and Toyota, choosing to add Alexa voice control to their vehicles. The company will integrate Amazon's voice assistant into select models in North America and Europe, starting in January 2019 and with the newly unveiled E-Tron electric SUV. Audi will load Alexa onto the selected vehicles' infotainment systems, so there's no need to dock your phones -- simply link your car to your Amazon account and then activate the assistant through the onboard voice control system. You'll then be able to ask Alexa to play music, read audiobooks, order groceries, tell you sports scores and to add items to your shopping lists while driving.
Audi rips the camouflage off its E-Tron electric SUV
Audi finally took the wraps off its E-Tron pure electric SUV. At an event in Northern California, the automaker stripped off the QR code-esque wrap from the vehicle and announced how you can reserve your own and for how much.
Audi launches luxury car subscription pilot program in Dallas
Audi is joining the ever-expanding roster of carmakers which have monthly subscription services -- it's piloting its program at five dealerships in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For $1,395 a month (including fees, maintenance and insurance), you can drive the A4 sedan, A5 convertible, S5 coupe and two crossovers: Q5 and Q7. You can switch between the luxury cars twice a month, and you can hang onto one for up to six months, Automative News reports.
Audi: Autonomous cars alone won’t solve traffic jams
It's easy to think that once cars start driving themselves most of our traffic woes will be eliminated. Robocars are supposed to be better drivers and better driving should mean less gridlock. Unfortunately, that drop in bumper-to-bumper hell won't be as big as we all hoped, according to Audi's research.
Audi's PB 18 E-Tron is a supercar spaceship
Ahead of the final unveiling of the E-Tron SUV, the automaker used the car festivities at Laguna Seca raceway to unveil its electric supercar, the PB 18. With over 600 horsepower and a center-positioned driver's seat, it's ready for the track. But also, your luggage.
Audi’s HD Matrix LED lights may soon be allowed on US roads
Headlights typically serve one purpose -- helping drivers see the road. To illuminate the asphalt at night the lights traditionally had two settings. Low beams for driving around town and passing other vehicles or high beams for seeing more of the road and surrounding area. That's pretty much all we've had for decades. While cars in the United States still operate like this, in other parts of the world -- thanks to technology -- lights have evolved.
Audi will unveil its e-tron supercar EV concept next month
Audi's first all-electric car, the 2019 e-tron, hasn't even made its global debut yet, but the car manufacturer is already teasing its next venture. The PB 18 e-tron, billed as an "electric-drive supercar concept", will be unveiled next month during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Audi to unveil the 2019 e-tron on September 17th
Audi's first all-electric car, the 2019 e-tron, will make its global debut on September 17th in San Francisco. The automaker will also reveal the price and specifications, and US customers will be able to place a $1,000 deposit to reserve and configure a vehicle from Audi's website on the same day. The new reservation system is a big part of the launch, with Audi creating a Tesla-like process for customers to place and track orders online or with a dealer. The e-tron is expected to arrive in showrooms in the first part of 2019, said Audi.
Audi’s latest infotainment system is a smarter driving companion
"Does the glass move or is the haptic feedback tricking my brain?" Sometimes you have to ask dumb questions. I was 99 percent sure Audi's updated MMI infotainment system was creating the illusion that the display moved when I pressed it. But, you have to ask questions just in case. I was informed that the glass does not move.
Audi and Huawei team up on connected car technology
Audi is no stranger to developing networked, internet-savvy cars. It still believes it needs a boost, however. To that end, it just signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei that will see the two companies collaborate on "intelligent connected vehicles." These cars need a fast, reliable data connection, Audi said, and Huawei's involvement is bound to help. They see the alliance helping for everything from autonomous driving through to online services.
Audi shows off its electric SUV's screen-filled interior
Audi has been more than happy to show off its e-tron Quattro prototype's outside, but what will it be like if you're taking it for a drive? Wonder no more: the automaker has offered a proper look at the electric SUV's interior. In many ways, it's even more of a technology hub than Audi's modern vehicles. The driver is effectively surrounded by screens -- there's the familiar digital instrument column, but you'll also see two touchscreens in the center stack. This also gives you a good sense of how cameras will substitute for mirrors on some models, as 7-inch OLED displays tucked above the door handles will give you a peek at what's behind you.
Audi delays e-tron launch in the wake of CEO's arrest
Audi's electric SUV, the e-tron Quattro crossover, notable for its optional aerodynamic side cameras and super-fast charging abilities, was supposed to be revealed at the end of August. Just last week, however, the car maker's CEO was arrested over his alleged role in Dieselgate, the scandal over Audi owner Volkswagen's cheats on emissions testing. It's not surprising then that, according to a report at Autoblog, Audi has decided to delay the planned launch of the SUV for an undetermined later date.
'Digital Key' standard uses your phone to unlock your car
You can already use your smartphone as a car key if you own the right vehicle (just ask Tesla Model 3 owners). There hasn't really been a common standard for it, though, and that has hurt adoption -- you can't guarantee that you'll have phone access if you switch brands, or even individual models. You might soon have a solution. The Car Connectivity Consortium, a mix of major smartphone and automotive brands, has posted a Digital Key 1.0 standard (PDF) that will let you download (what else?) a virtual key that can unlock your vehicle, start the engine and even share access with other drivers.
Germany plans to test Airbus and Audi's flying taxi concept
The Pop.Up Next flying taxi from Airbus and Audi should soon become much more than a well-meaning concept. The German government has signed a letter of intent greenlighting tests for the flying taxi around Audi's home city of Ingolstadt. Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer saw the autonomous, mixed-mode transports bringing a "new dimension of mobility" and creating a "huge opportunity" for companies exploring flying car tech.
Hyundai and Audi team up on hydrogen fuel cell technology
Hyundai and Audi have reached a deal that will allow the two to share their hydrogen car technology, Reuters reports. Both companies will have access to the other's intellectual property and they'll share components, with the goal being to push hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles into the mainstream. So far, they've lagged behind battery EVs, which are currently cheaper and benefit from more charging stations.
Audi CEO arrested over alleged role in Dieselgate scandal
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler was arrested today, a week after his home was raided by German prosecutors. He has reportedly been detained for his alleged role in Dieselgate, a scandal unearthed in 2015 that revealed Volkswagen, Audi's parent company, had installed software in its vehicles that allowed them to cheat emissions tests. The "defeat device" as it's known was able to detect when a car's emissions were being tested and it would then switch on full emissions controls that were usually off in order to make it appear as if the autos were within regulations.
Audi e-tron's optional side cameras will help maximize range
Audi has a novel way to reduce drag and maximize the range of its electric e-tron SUV: it plans to offer an option to nix side mirrors. Instead, the car can use cameras, and display images from them on OLED screens between the instrument panel and the door. Opting for cameras instead of mirrors cuts the car's width by just under six inches, reducing both drag and wind noise. The "virtual exterior mirrors" are also adaptable depending on your situation -- they can be optimized for highway driving, turning and parking.
Audi's e-tron SUV drives a modest 248 miles per charge
When Audi first trotted out its e-tron SUV concept, it was promising: there was talk of the electric crossover managing 311 miles on a charge, which would put Tesla's Model X to shame. You... might need to dial down your expectations a bit. Audi has revealed that the production version of the e-tron prototype has an estimated range of 248.5 miles on the WLTP driving cycle thanks to its 95kWh battery. That's still very usable for around-the-city driving, but it's only slightly more than the 238 miles of a Chevy Bolt (although that was tested on an EPA cycle). Audi may have an ace up its sleeve, however: fast charging.
VW will debut cars with autonomous parking in 2020
Automakers are fond of experimenting with self-parking cars, but VW intends to make it a practical reality. It's promising that vehicles in the company group (which includes brands like Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Lamborghini) will start including autonomous parking as of 2020. The system will only be available in "selected" parking garages at first, but it relies on pictorial guiding markers that are theoretically usable in any garage.
