Multimedia systems

Audi’s leadership in automotive electrical and electronic systems can also be fully experienced in the new A3 Sportback – the premium compact offers a comprehensive system of infotainment components. The heart of the mobile communications electronics is a groundbreaking innovation: the modular infotainment platform (MIB). This concept enables very fast innovation cycles in development.

The new Audi A3 Sportback comes standard with the Audi radio with a 2.5-inch monochrome display and a CD drive that also plays MP3 and WMA files. Its head unit can be lowered into the instrument panel, and an Aux-in port makes it possible to connect auxiliary devices. The Audi radio drives four loudspeakers with 80 watts of output power.

The next step up – the MMI radio – adds a control terminal on the center tunnel console and the power-retractable 5.8-inch monitor. This can be supplemented with the optional connectivity package, which includes the Audi music interface for the integration of a mobile player, a Bluetooth interface, navigation system preparation and an additional SDXC card reader. If the customer later buys an SD card with navigation data or chooses the navigation package from the very beginning, the MMI radio becomes a navigation system.

The new central computer of the MIB is located in the glove compartment of the A3 Sportback. It comprises two units – the radio car control unit and the MMX board (MMX = Multi-Media eXtension). One of the plug-in module’s key components is the fast T-20 graphics process from market leader Nvidia’s Tegra 2 series. The chip, which generates complex 3D images, is used in all online, voice control, media, navigation and telephone functions. The screen with the high-resolution monitor (5.8 or 7.0-inch diagonal) extends from the instrument panel when the system is started.

The MMI terminal is used to control the numerous functions. Audi is also presenting important innovations for the control terminal on the center tunnel console. The hard keys for navigation, telephone, radio and media have been rearranged and are now implemented as toggle switches. The volume control includes a skip function.

MMI navigation plus
The top version available in the new Audi A3 Sportback is the MMI navigation plus with MMI touch – a media center with 64 GB of storage capacity, DVD drive and whole-word voice control. The high-resolution 7-inch monitor displays the map with detailed 3D graphics. Mobile phones and auxiliary devices can be paired with MMI navigation plus through the integrated Bluetooth interface.

The power-retractable 7.0-inch monitor extending from the instrument panel has a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels for razor-sharp images with brilliant colors. Efficient LEDs provide the backlight. The cover glass is bonded directly to the surface of the TFT screen by means of a special lamination process, leaving no air gap between the display glass and the cover glass. Just eleven millimeters thin and painted in glossy black, its lightweight magnesium housing gives it an elegant, premium look.

The large rotary pushbutton has been consolidated with the touchpad called MMI touch to form the touch wheel. The top of the control wheel is a touch-sensitive field. The MMI touch, which is a solution from the Audi full-size class, works with handwriting recognition. The driver writes letters or numbers he or she wishes to input for navigation or a phone call on the touch-sensitive screen by fingertip on the pad; the system then provides acoustic feedback after each character. MMI touch will be of special interest to Asian customers, because it can process tens of thousands of characters.

A voice control system is available as an alternative to manual user control at the MMI terminal. The driver can use it to input the name of the city and street in a single command and to control the telephone, Audi connect services and music playback.

The user menus in the A3 Sportback have a new layout. In the media area, for instance, the player and media center are clearly separated; song titles, albums and artists can be located directly via free text search. The point-of-interest search for the navigation system has been simplified. The map can be used to access online traffic information, Google Earth images and the 360 degree view offered by Google Maps Street View. The point-of-interest search and the new Picturebook Navigation functions can also be activated there. Many telephone functions have been improved. The services Weather, Refuelling Stop, Travel Information, News Online, City Events, Flight and Train Information, Facebook and Twitter have been consolidated under the Audi connect menu.

Attractive modules round out the diverse range of multimedia systems available. These include a module for digital radio reception and the Audi phone box, which connects the cell phone to the vehicle’s antenna. The Audi sound system, in which a six-channel amplifier drives ten loudspeakers including a center speaker and subwoofer, is available with the MMI radio and above.

Delivering even more audio enjoyment is the Bang & Olufsen Sound System, the most sophisticated sound system in the premium compact class. Its key component is an amplifier with 705 watts of output power that is mounted in the center of the cabin. It drives 14 active loudspeakers over 15 channels. The system uses a microphone to record intrusive noise in the cabin in order to adjust the sound accordingly. In combination with MMI navigation plus, the sound is also output in 5.1 format. The two woofers in the doors also offer visual highlights – running along their upper edges is an arc-shaped trim strip of anodized aluminum, in which the logo of the Danish hi-fi specialist is laser-engraved. Located between the trim strip and the loudspeaker screen is an ultra-narrow light conductor which radiates white LED light.

The equipment and data specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.