Audi Q4 e-tron: AR Windshield Display & All-Electric Crossover
Audi's Q4 e-tron: A Deep Dive into its Advanced Interior and Technology
Audi is set to introduce significant technological advancements within the cabin of its forthcoming all-electric Q4 e-tron compact crossover. These enhancements include a more generously proportioned cockpit, increased storage capacity, and modernized cupholders.
Interior and Dimensions
Audi unveiled the interior design of the Q4 e-tron on Tuesday, marking it as the fifth electric vehicle in their expanding lineup. The German manufacturer intends to launch over 30 EVs and plug-in hybrid models by the year 2025. The Q4 e-tron has been anticipated for some time, initially appearing as a concept vehicle at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show.
While the production version of the Q4 remains camouflaged, its dimensions are known. It’s positioned within the larger compact SUV segment, boasting a short overhang and a 9.1-foot wheelbase. This configuration results in a remarkably robust appearance.
Despite its exterior dimensions, the Q4 e-tron offers an interior length of 6 feet, comparable to the spaciousness found in a full-size SUV.
Underlying Architecture and Storage Solutions
The vehicle’s foundation is built upon Volkswagen’s modular electric drive toolkit, known as the MEB platform. This versatile system, first presented in 2016, was engineered to streamline and reduce the costs associated with EV production.
The MEB platform also provides designers with greater flexibility, facilitated by its flat floor design. This space has been utilized to incorporate a center console featuring dual cupholders, a 4.4-liter stowage compartment with a cover, USB-C ports (two standard, with an option for four), and an available Audi phone box offering wireless charging and signal enhancement.
Head-up-Display. Image Credits: AudiAugmented Reality Head-Up Display
A key highlight is the optional augmented reality (AR) head-up display (HUD). This system is designed to seamlessly integrate with the driver’s real-world environment, providing accurate and responsive projections.
The Q4 e-tron’s AR windshield offers an expanded field of view and more precise, dynamic animations compared to conventional HUDs. Information is categorized into two distinct sections: a status section and an AR section.
The status section, projected approximately 3 meters ahead of the driver, displays essential data such as vehicle speed, traffic signs, driver assistance system information, and navigation cues as static elements.
The AR section creates the illusion of floating symbols positioned around 10 meters away. This includes features like lane departure warnings, visualized as a red line superimposed on the lane markings, and colored highlights over vehicles ahead during adaptive cruise control.
Advanced Navigation and Software
Audi emphasizes that while head-up displays are not novel, this implementation extends the field of vision for more interactive functionality. The AR system also enhances navigation, utilizing what Audi terms “drones” – animated arrows that guide the driver, disappearing and reappearing before each maneuver.
As the driver approaches an intersection, the navigation system announces the turn and precisely guides the vehicle onto the correct road.
Head-up-Display. Image Credits: AudiTechnical Implementation of the AR System
The Q4 e-tron’s AR Creator processing unit gathers data from the vehicle’s front camera, radar sensor, and GPS navigation. This data is then used to render display symbols at a rate of 60 frames per second, adapting them to the surrounding environment.
The visual quality of these projections, achieved through a complex arrangement of mirrors within the EV’s “picture generation unit (PGU),” is crucial to the system’s effectiveness. Currently, assessments are based on simulations, and the real-world performance remains to be seen.
A wide frame with dynamic symbols must accurately reflect the real-life environment to avoid distracting the driver. Imprecise depth perception could also lead to driver discomfort.
Additional Technological Features
The Q4 e-tron also incorporates updated natural-language voice control, activated by the command “Hey Audi.” Physical buttons on the steering wheel have been replaced with touch-sensitive controls, providing haptic feedback to simulate a button-press sensation.
Approximately 3% of the company’s 2020 sales, totaling 47,000 vehicles, consisted of the electric e-tron SUV and e-tron Sportback. This figure is expected to rise as Audi expands its range of luxury EVs.