Comfort functions

The innovative, switchable panoramic glass roof enhances the sense of spaciousness in the car. It spans almost the entire cockpit and rear and allows the interior to either be flooded with light or effectively shaded. Nine segments form the basis for various patterns with areas that can be switched on and off to provide full glare protection. Unlike in the past, the smart glass of the panoramic roof minimizes direct sunlight and becomes opaque at the touch of a button. This works thanks to the so-called PDLC technology (polymer-dispersed liquid crystal), in which the glass can change between transparent and nontransparent states. Electrically switchable glass components contain two PDLC film elements with the aforementioned liquid crystals floating between them. If no voltage is applied, the crystals form an opaque layer – the glass roof is therefore nontransparent. When voltage is applied, the crystals align, and the roof becomes transparent. It can be directly controlled like a “digital curtain” via a button in the roof module.

The top-of-the-range version of the Bang & Olufsen premium sound system with headrest speakers has two highly efficient amplifiers. They control 20 speakers with 830 watts of power. Four of them are integrated into the front-seat headrests, supporting surround sound and enabling personal navigation announcements and telephony. Additional speakers in the A-pillar and mid-range speakers in the D-pillar create an unrivaled 3D surround sound. The “Symphoria” technology developed by the Fraunhofer Institute is an important part of this. It adds sound dimensions that are essential for a natural sound: width, depth, and height. This results in a feeling of spaciousness in the car. The vehicle’s interior seems acoustically larger. Compared to the Audi sound system, the Bang & Olufsen premium sound system also features Vehicle Noise Compensation (VNC), which partially compensates for disruptive interior noise. The “virtual environments” function recreates sound spaces and environments: you can experience your favorite music as if you were in a concert hall, jazz club, or open-air concert, or enjoy it as if you were in a living room or a recording studio.

The four-zone automatic climate control package enables a particularly high level of comfort in the vehicle, as it regulates the air temperature, volume, and distribution separately for the driver, front passenger, and outer rear seats. At the same time, passengers in the back seat can adjust the settings using a separate climate control unit in the center console. The optional air-quality package includes an ionizer and a fine-dust sensor, significantly improving air quality in the interior.

Available as an option, the door-closing assist function ensures that the vehicle doors close quietly. With the servo-assisted closing feature, it is only necessary to let the doors fall gently into the lock mechanism. If the lock does not fully engage, the doors will automatically be pulled completely closed and then locked.

Second-generation virtual exterior mirrors can be folded in electrically. The compact cameras have an aerodynamically optimized shape; they reduce the vehicle’s frontal area and thus improve its drag coefficient.