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Headlight digitization is blazing new trails in safety, design, and communication Three new functions in Digital Matrix LED headlights that enhance safety and improve the customer experience Digitizing light technology opens up new possibilities and individualization Audi TechFocus Newsletter #03 Safety and customer satisfaction come first at Audi. They are part and parcel of the success of the company with the four rings. In that context, light technology is steadily growing more important and creating a wider range of possibilities and perspectives, from added safety for the driver, to external communication and individualization. Systematic light digitization is making all of this possible. It is particularly visible in the new Audi A8: the forward-looking Digital Matrix LED headlights and digital OLED rear lights raise the customer experience to a whole new level: for the first time in any Audi model, light is completely digitized. The car can be individualized even further through its digital OLED rear lights. The Digital Matrix LED headlights also include three new functions: advanced traffic information, a lane light with direction indicator lights on highways, and an orientation light on country roads. These features not only demonstrate Audi’s “Vorsprung durch Technik,” they also add value. “Lighting technology and lighting design have been success factors for our brand for decades, becoming a key area for Audi. This has allowed us to continue setting new benchmarks in the automotive industry,” explains Oliver Hoffmann, board member for Technical Development. “The digitization of lighting enables us to offer completely new functions that we can use to increase safety again significantly. For example, in combining the digital OLED taillights with proximity indication, we can communicate with the outside world depending on the situation.

Michael Kruppa, Head of Front Lighting Development, has been responsible for various areas of development at Audi for more than ten years. Together with his development team, he plays a key role in ensuring that an Audi provides the best possible road safety even in poor visibility and darkness. In this interview, he explains what makes good headlights – and what sets the new Audi Q3 apart from the competition when it comes to lighting. Mr. Kruppa, why are good headlights so important? Michael Kruppa: The rapid onset of darkness and poorer weather conditions, especially now in the fall and winter, pose a greater risk in traffic. On the one hand, as a driver, I want to illuminate the area I’m driving into as well as possible so that I feel safe. On the other hand, it is very important that other road users see me in time. Often, just a few seconds make a crucial difference in avoiding a dangerous situation. Seeing and being seen is the be-all and end-all in road traffic. Good lighting is not just about comfort – it provides a significant boost in safety. It also creates recognition value. At Audi, customers have numerous options to personalize their lighting. Several different digital light signatures, along with matching coming home/leaving home lighting scenarios, can be selected in the MMI. What characterizes intelligent lighting at Audi? Michael Kruppa: Intelligent lighting actively adapts to the driving situation and provides added safety for all road users. The lighting we develop at Audi is designed to prevent glare. Our matrix LED headlights detect vehicles ahead and oncoming traffic and automatically block out light that would blind them. The driver therefore no longer has to operate the high beams manually. This ensures that you always have enough light in front of you, can stay focused for longer, and drive more safely as a result. The most innovative lighting development we currently use in front lighting at Audi are the digital matrix LED headlights.

With intelligent driver assistance systems, lighting technology from the full-size class, and a striking design, the Q3 brings premium standards to the road. A journey through the breathtaking beauty of Scotland reveals just how much character it truly holds. Scotland, Glasgow. Where the River Kelvin flows into the mighty Clyde, stands the Riverside Museum – an architectural masterpiece that combines movement and history. This is the spot where our road trip begins with a special companion: the new Audi Q3. Its design? Expressive, dynamic, and emotional, with an exciting interplay of sweeping curves and precise lines. From the Riverside Museum, we start our drive into the Scottish Highlands. But first we have to navigate the quirks of a big city that has not always adapted to the demands of modern traffic. In the process, we get to know the new Audi Q3 in all its facets – and how it can support us while driving. Digital companion for every day We get settled into the sporty, elegant seats and immerse ourselves in Glasgow’s urban flair. After just a few minutes, it becomes clear that the new Audi Q3 is much more than a means of transportation – it is a digital companion for everyday life. During a stop in the historic city center, whose roots date back to the 6th century, the park assist plus shows what it can do. It maneuvers the vehicle into even the tightest of spaces with impressive precision. Supported by several ultrasonic sensors and high-resolution cameras, the system recognizes its surroundings in real time and provides clear visual and acoustic feedback – a real advantage when parking in the narrow streets of Scotland’s largest city. Back on the road, the traffic sign recognition system helps the driver keep an overview of things. For example, speed limits and construction zones are reliably detected and projected directly onto the head-up display – this is particularly helpful for those unfamiliar with the area while driving in dense city traffic.

Outside, the electric crossover now boasts a sharper design and new lighting features. Increased range, greater charging capacity, and more intuitive operation make the car more convenient for everyday use. Moreover, the Q4 e-tron can power electrical devices or serve as an energy storage solution for the home – an Audi first. “With this product upgrade, the Audi Q4 e-tron is not only more modern and striking in appearance but also impresses with an improved interior,” says Marco Schubert, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing. “New features and numerous improvements to the vehicle make the electric entry point into the Audi brand even more attractive – for families and our fleet customers.” The Q4 e-tron is the first Audi model to support bidirectional charging – its high-voltage battery can both receive energy from the grid and feed it back to external devices. For example, the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function allows e-bikes to be charged from a power socket in the trunk or via an adapter on the charging port. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the Q4 e-tron can also serve as a home battery supplying stored energy to the household through Vehicle-to-Home (V2H). This is especially beneficial for optimizing self-consumption from solar panels. In everyday life, customers reap the benefits of significant upgrades to the EV’s drive systems. Thanks to an even more efficient electric motor, for example, the enhanced Q4 Sportback e-tron performance now offers up to 592 kilometers of range.

This is exactly how the Four Rings brand presented the Audi R18 TDI – the first Le Mans sports car featuring headlights comprising entirely of light emitting diodes. As a result, the Audi drivers have a significant advantage at night during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi is regarded as a pioneer in the development of LED technology and leads the competition by a large margin in this field. The twelve-cylinder Audi A8 was the first car in the world to go into production with LED daytime driving lights. The Audi R8 is credited with having the first full LED headlights worldwide. Slowly but surely an increasing number of Audi models are offered with full LEDs as an option, as is the new Audi A6. Audi also forces the new headlight technology in motorsport. The Audi R10 TDI was the first race car with LED daytime driving lights in 2006. The Audi R15 TDI, which broke the 39 year old distance record at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, was equipped with a combination of Xenon headlights and LEDs. Audi goes a step further with the innovative Audi R18 TDI: the new LMP1 is the first Le Mans sports car with full LED headlights. Combined with sophisticated reflector-lens modules, eight high-power light emitting diodes per side provide unique illumination of the race track at night. “When you’ve driven once with full LED headlights you don’t want to have anything else,” raves Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen. “The light is stronger and vibrates less than a normal headlight – this is a clear advantage and particularly at Le Mans, a track that has many dark braking points in the night.” However, not only the greater illumination is an advantage of LED technology. Light emitting diodes are maintenance free and extremely reliable. “The vulnerability to failures is extremely low,” explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. “To date, we haven’t had a single LED failure.”

World premiere: The active digital light signature sets headlights and rear lights in motion in an unprecedented way For the first time, customers can select digital light signatures for the headlights and rear lights via the MMI and the myAudi app Package with digital light signatures available on demand This innovation will permanently change automotive light design and car-to-X communication: With second-generation digital OLED rear lights, the Audi Q6 e-tron is taking light design, range of functions, and road safety to a new level. Audi is gradually developing the technology into intelligent displays that can communicate with other road users by displaying information via the exterior lights – this is the new communication light. The active digital light signature is another world first making its debut in the Audi Q6 e-tron. It makes an entirely new and vibrant impression, pointing the way to the future of Audi lighting technology. For the first time, customers can optionally select digital light signatures for this new evolution of digital daytime running lights in the Matrix LED headlights and the new generation of digital OLED rear lights. In addition, customers may book digital light signatures on demand. The Q6 e-tron not only marks a new chapter in electromobility at Audi; lighting technology is an important part of Audi’s DNA. With the world’s first active digital light signature, the Audi Q6 e-tron ushers in a new era characterized by distinctive design and aesthetics unique to Audi. The second-generation of digital OLED technology shapes the look of new Audi models and increases their range of functions many times over. This, in turn, improves road safety, as impressively demonstrated by the communication light in the digital OLED rear lights.

Sharper design with an even stronger Q identity Rear light cluster featuring new digital OLED technology New MMI touch-sensitive controls Exclusive edition one model The Audi Q5 has been one of the bestselling SUVs in the premium mid-size segment on European markets for years. And now, Audi has made it even better and even more attractive. The optimized Q5 combines a sporty character with excellent everyday usability, and comes with a wide array of infotainment and assistance options. The sharpened exterior design of this highly successful model emphasizes the Q identity and boasts a rear light cluster featuring digital OLED technology for the first time worldwide. The exterior design: Audi Q design language now even more distinctive The strong Q identity characterizes the exterior of the Audi Q5 with its expression of power, robustness and safety. In executing the exterior update, Audi designers further emphasized this look and feel with a series of distinctive details. The octagonal Singleframe is now shallower and appears wider than before. The side air intakes have grown in height and are now structured by trapezoidal insets. The upper section of the LED headlamps features a new signature for the daytime running lights. Viewed from the side, the Q5 now has lighter look with greater ground clearance thanks to the redesigned sill insert. At the rear end is a new trim element between the light clusters and a new diffusor insert with a horizontal fin. As well as the standard trim there are also two optional design lines. The advanced line comes with chromed vertical ribs in the Singleframe, along with under-ride guards beneath the front and rear bumpers in silver instead of black. The S line comprises a sporty honeycomb in the Singleframe and a chrome strip framing the rear diffusor. Two of the twelve available paint colors are new – district green and ultra blue. The black trim package is available as an option.

Powerful and partially electrified: modern combustion engines impress with strong acceleration and higher efficiency thanks to advanced mild-hybrid technology MHEV plus Pure driving enjoyment: A5 and S5 models deliver a new interpretation of the brand's signature driving characteristics Digitalization in the interior and exterior: new operating concept with MMI panoramic display and second-generation digital OLED rear lights with communication light The new Audi A5 impressed numerous media representatives and many potential customers with its qualities at its world premiere. Now it is proving its qualities in the south of France: the model variants of the Audi A5 unfold their full potential on the winding roads of the Côte d'Azur. The scenery is straight out of a James Bond movie: a narrow road winds through the French Maritime Alps between rugged, overgrown mountains. It leads through tunnels carved into the rock and features bends of all kinds, alternating between tight turns and long sweepers. The hinterland of Nice, France, offers the perfect setting to get to know the character of the new Audi A5 models. The roads of the Côte d'Azur are particularly challenging for the chassis and drivetrain of the new mid-size models based on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) due to their profile. Powerful and partially electrified gasoline and diesel engines with MHEV plus The new A5 model series marks the launch of the first engines with the new MHEV plus technology from Audi – a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with powertrain generator, belt starter alternator and lithium iron phosphate battery.