Audi virtual cockpit and MMI

The Audi virtual cockpit in the new Audi TT Roadster* and TTS Roadster* sets new standards. Its 12.3-inch TFT display with 1,440 x 540 pixels produces tack sharp, brilliant and high-contrast images. Working in the background is a Tegra 30 chip from cooperation partner NVIDIA.

Driving with the soft top down represents a particular challenge for the Audi virtual cockpit. The digital instrument cluster in the new TT Roadster shines here with a luminous intensity of 800 candelas, twice as much as the previous norm in the automotive industry. Reflections were another challenge. The Audi engineers addressed this by tilting the upper edge of the Audi virtual cockpit toward the driver.

The driver can switch between two interfaces using the “View” button on the multifunction steering wheel. In “Infotainment” mode, a central window dominates the view – it offers a big stage for the navigation map or for lists in the Phone, Radio and Audio areas. The tachometer and speedometer are displayed as small dial instruments on the right and left. In the classic view, the center window is smaller; the instruments are roughly the same size as analog displays. The TTS Roadster features a sporty mode in which a central tachometer dominates the view.

The Audi virtual cockpit provides for the attractive and versatile display of all types of information, from the navigation arrows and dynamic animations to the graphics for the assistance systems. Detailed effects round out the state-of-the-art look. The virtual dial instruments, for example, are rendered 60 times per second so that the needles move absolutely fluidly even under full acceleration. The color design of the display changes as a function of the basic menu.

The Audi virtual cockpit already impressed the experts at its premiere in the TT*. The jury for the “Automotive Interiors Expo Awards 2014” awarded it first place in the category “Interior Innovation of the Year – Production Vehicles”. The world’s best designers, suppliers, innovations and products for interior areas were celebrated at the awards ceremony.

Playfully easy: the new MMI
Just as groundbreaking as the Audi virtual cockpit is the new MMI system in the new Audi TT and the TT Roadster. It reveals its full potential as the top-of-the-line version MMI navigation plus with MMI touch. The terminal on the center tunnel console and its menu structure have been completely redesigned. The result is an operating system with flat hierarchies. As in a modern smartphone, an intelligent, easy-to-use logic replaces branched menu trees, and frequently used functions can be reached in just a few steps.

The focal point of the terminal is the round rotary pushbutton. In combination with the connectivity package or MMI navigation plus, its surface includes the touch-sensitive MMI touch. The touchpad is used for entering characters and multi-finger gestures. Drivers can scroll and zoom just like with their mobile phones. An optical sensor with a sensitivity of one-hundredth of a millimeter monitors the rotary motions of the highly precise dial.

The toggle switches for the most important basic menus Navigation/Map, Phone, Radio and Media are located above the rotary pushbutton. The main menu button and back button are located centrally beneath the dial. The buttons to the left and right of it open intelligently linked function and context menus.

“Where can I get gas?”: MMI search with free text entry and natural speech control
A particular highlight of the new system is MMI search, which is available for all basic menus and like a search engine uses free text entry. It generally answers queries after just a few letters, taking into consideration the car’s current location. When searching for a place to eat, for instance, the driver only has to enter the name of the restaurant and the first letters of the city and a list of hits throughout Europe appears together with the addresses. Searching for songs, albums and radio stations works similarly.

Voice control has also undergone intensive further development so that the system now understands many phrases from everyday language usage. Commands like “I would like to talk to Peter” or “Connect me with Peter” are now sufficient to call a contact. The navigation system also now reacts to natural speech (“Where can I get gas?”, “Take us to the closest Italian restaurant.”). The same applies in the Radio (“Play Radio Galaxy”) and Media (“I would like to listen to music from my iPod.”) areas. The seatbelt microphone provides for good audio quality when using the phone, even when the top is down.

The multifunction steering wheel plus with its buttons and rollers (standard on the TTS Roadster) is another control instrument. Other than touch gestures, the driver can perform the same steps here as with the MMI terminal, all without taking his eyes off the road.

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