Audi 2015 Annual Report Download - page 151

ECONOMIC REPORT
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
>> 151
>Lighting Test 2015:
The Audi TT came in at the top of the AUTO ZEITUNG lighting
test with its Matrix LED headlights (www.autozeitung.de/
auto-vergleichstest/laser-licht-led-xenon?page=0,1 – link
only available in German).
// FROM MOTORSPORT TO SERIES PRODUCTION
We test future technologies for our series-production vehicles
as part of our motorsport activities. For example, we already
used and therefore tested the laser spot for the high-beam
headlights of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro racing car in the
2014 fiscal year at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
“Vorsprung durch Technik” is also reflected in the motorsport
achievements of the Audi brand. In the year under review, our
successes included a triple victory in the final event of the
German Touring Car Masters (DTM) season, finishing the DTM
season with second, third and fourth places in the drivers’
championship, second place in the manufacturers’ classifica-
tion and third place in the team championship.
In addition, the brand with the Four Rings remains the most
successful manufacturer in the FIA World Endurance Champi-
onship (WEC), capturing the runner-up title for the 2015 sea-
son. Since the FIA WEC was launched four years ago, Audi has
collected 15 out of a maximum possible 32 race victories with
the Audi R18.
/DESIGN
Design is an important factor in a customer’s choice of car, and
therefore plays a key role in the development of our models.
So that we continue to win over our customers, we are working
consistently on refining and sharpening our overall design
language, ranging from the exterior and interior, through the
use of colors and materials, to lighting design. In the future,
we will differentiate even more clearly between our individual
model series. We are also making Audi technologies such as
quattro drive increasingly visible in our design. This gives even
greater expression to the progressive character of the Audi
brand.
In November 2014, we presented the dawning of a new design
era with the Audi prologue showcar. We followed this up in the
past fiscal year with the Audi prologue Avant and Audi prologue
allroad showcars. The three models of the Audi prologue family
provide a first specific glimpse of the Audi design language of
the future.
The Audi e-tron quattro concept – exhibited at the IAA 2015 in
Frankfurt as a technology study – gives further substance to
the future Audi formal idiom. The exterior design of the tech-
nology study in particular combines technical measures to
reduce drag with creative design solutions. The comparatively
low vehicle, standing 1.54 meters tall, the early dip in the roof
line and the correspondingly flat D-posts are the defining
features of the coupe-like design of the Audi e-tron quattro
concept. The new design language of the Audi e-tron models is
evoked at the front of the technology study. Here, the Single-
frame grille accentuates the vehicle’s width. In addition, five
horizontal aluminum slats graphically connect the five OLED
elements of the lighting signature. Another design highlight at
the front of the technology study is the Matrix Laser OLED
headlight, which makes its first ever appearance in the
Audi e-tron quattro concept.
One defining design feature of our technology demonstrator is
the absence of conventional exterior mirrors. Small cameras
have now taken their place. As well as improving the aerody-
namics and reducing wind noise, this solution overcomes the
blind spot of physical exterior mirrors. The camera images
appear on separate displays in the doors.
In the interior, the center console has a pivotal design role.
Because there is no propshaft on the electric vehicle, there is a
more open feeling of space inside. The operating and display
concept focuses on several large displays in OLED technology.
The new Audi virtual cockpit curved OLED also uses a thin OLED
display. It is free-standing and has a gently curved ergonomic
surface, giving the driver an optimum view of all displays. The
free-form shape of the contours is another new departure.
Through the use of wafer-thin AMOLED films, the conventional
rectangular format of the operating and display concept can be
completely redefined.
Further information on the design of the
A
udi e-tron quattro concept can be found in the
magazine section on pages 86 ff.
/ELECTRIFICATION AND CONNECTIVITY
// AUDI E-TRON
With the goal of further reducing our vehicle fleets’ CO2 emis-
sions and extending the basis for carbon-neutral mobility, we
are making consistent progress with our activities in the field
of electric mobility under the Audi e-tron banner. Here, we are
following a holistic approach with the aim of matching all
systems and components as well as possible.
We unveiled our first showcar with electric drive back in 2009.
Other studies and concept cars followed. We delivered our first
e-tron model at the end of 2014 in the shape of the Audi A3
Sportback e-tron. In the year under review, we presented further
e-tron models which will also be introduced on the market. In