The new Audi A6 reduces the driver’s workload with up to 39 assistance systems, setting the benchmark in the premium class in terms of comfort, convenience and safety. All engines incorporate as standard an MHEV system to enhance efficiency. The business-class sedan offers lots of space and new features for extremely pleasant traveling. With its low interior noise, the A6 is an expert for long journeys.
Driver assistance systems
The assistance systems make driving even more convenient, effortless and safe. They are bundled into the “Tour,” “City” and “Park” packages. A highlight in the “Tour” assist package is the adaptive cruise assist (ACA). It uses the Mild Hybrid Technologyand enhances this with a lane guidance function over the entire speed range and the traffic jam assist. As a supplement, Audi offers the bottleneck assist, which makes steering corrections in roadworks if the car gets too close to the edge of the road. The bottleneck assist also automatically maintains a safe distance to vehicles which invade the car’s lane, and automatically continues the overtaking maneuver once the lane is free again.
An ideal upgrade for the adaptive cruise assist is also the efficiency assist. This brakes and accelerates the vehicle predictively by analyzing Car-to-X information, sensor information and navigation data as well as traffic signs. Other modules in the Tour package include turn assist, collision avoidance assist, high-beam assist, camera-based traffic sign recognition and the Audi pre sense front safety system.
Audi pre sense basic comes standard in all Audi A6 sedans; another highlight, crossing assist is included in the “City” assist package. If the mid-range radars at the vehicle’s corners, which can look roughly 75 meters (246.1 ft) ahead, detect crossing traffic in front of the car, the system warns the driver; if necessary it applies the brakes. Cross traffic assist rear, the exit warning and the lane change warning are based on the signals from the rear mid-range radars. The Audi pre sense rear and Audi pre sense front safety systems are also part of the assist package.
Behind the new assistance systems in the Audi A6 lies a portfolio of sensors, which supplement each other in their particular characteristics and are designed redundantly to provide maximum system safety. The major innovation in this respect is the laser scanner.
Fully equipped, the set includes 24 sensors:- a laser scanner up front,
- a long-range radar up front,
- four mid-range radars at the corners,
- an infrared camera up front.
- a front camera at the top of the windshield,
- four 360 degree cameras at the front, rear and exterior mirrors and
- twelve ultrasonic sensors at the front, flanks and rear.
All sensor data comes together in the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) – the central computer that fuses all sensor data. It continuously computes a differentiated image of the surroundings; as a result, the assistance systems respond even more precisely and earlier than in the predecessor model. The navigation too is even more precise.
Broad-based electrification
Mild Hybrid Technology (MHEV) comes standard on all engines in the new Audi A6. This signifies that, after the A8 and the A7, Audi has now fully electrified another model line. All models with V6 engines have a 48V main electrical system. At its heart is a belt alternator starter (BAS) connected to the crankshaft. During deceleration the BAS can recover up to 12 kW of power, store the power in a separate lithium-ion battery with 10 Ah capacity, which is housed in the rear of the car.
If the driver takes his foot off the accelerator between 55 and 160 km/h (34.2 and 99.4 mph), the new Audi A6 can coast with the engine switched off – up to 40 seconds. As soon as the driver accelerates again, the BAS starts the engine quickly and smoothly. The 48V system enables the function range of the start-stop mode to be extended up to 22 km/h (13.7 mph). The mild hybrid system is connected to the camera sensors to enhance comfort further. In this way, the engine starts from stationary even with the brake pressed once the front camera detects that the vehicle ahead starts to move. In real-world driving, MHEV technology reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.7 liters per 100 kilometers according to Audi measurements.