Audi brings connectivity into the car

Automaker works to create smart vehicles of the future

Premium automaker Audi hopes to take the spotlight on CES Asia, with an exhibition explaining its commitment to China - "We are clearly leading the segment".

The event runs from May 25 to 27. Audi hopes to show visitors and professional buyers how it transforms cars from gasoline, heavy metal and rubber into modern, digital devices with a vision for future mobility.

At the 2015 International CES, in Las Vegas earlier this year, the automaker vowed it would never rest on its laurels.

During the event, a self-driving Audi vehicle completed a 560-mile automated test drive from the heart of Silicon Valley to the hive of innovation in Las Vegas.

The company's A7 has been used for another self-driving test from May 23 in Shanghai. Rupert Stadler, chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, said: "In China, we are also an undisputed leader - and we have further extended our lead."

For Chinese consumers

To cater to the demand of Chinese consumers, Audi has made efforts to carry out local research and development campaigns, which the company believes are keys to its success in the country.

It has teamed up with local information technology giants to create trend-setting future concepts for the industry that benefit local users.

Audi was among the first batch of automakers to partner with Chinese IT leader Baidu when it announced its CarLife product, an Internet of Vehicle app, or IoV app, which can be used on iOS and Android systems.

According to Baidu, CarLife tells drivers the best routes to get to their desired location and even points out convenient parking spaces. Self-driving cars will then use the information to get passengers to their destination.

Audi's R&D work with Baidu on self-driving or piloted driving is gaining momentum, according to the company.

Foreign Audi vehicles are equipped with Apple Car Play and Google Android Auto. The carmaker said in the future every locally sold Audi will come with the Baidu CarLife auto system.

Under the Baidu partnership, high resolution maps are also being developed to improve navigation and safety for drivers.

More research on more points of interests, or POI, for local customers are also in the pipeline and are set to lead the IoV market trend, according to Audi.

Chinese private telecommunication giant Huawei is also Audi's local partner.

The partners are working on a key project to supply vehicles with a high-speed long-term evolution network, or LTE network.

Part of the LTE project is to upgrade 3G to 4G mobile communication technology.

Audi said LTE will enable it to offer a drivers range of features for the Audi Q7 right from the start. Overseas this will include Google Earth navigation, Google voice POI search, Google Street View, online traffic information, Internet radio and cloud music services. In China, Baidu versions of the Google services will be offered.

Audi said it would be China's first carmaker to provide the LTE network solutions to drivers.

The automaker said it sees itself as a pioneer in bringing connectivity into the car and the company is opening up a new chapter in China's auto arena: Smart devices and their seamless integration into vehicles.

In high gear

Looking back, Audi said it has spared no efforts to localize R&D in the past 20 years.

According to the automaker, every Audi model made by FAW Volkswagen, VW's first joint venture in China, was tailored to Chinese customers based on their demands, including design, equipment, performance, efficiency, infotainment and connectivity.

In 2008, Audi marked a milestone in China as it established a special team for R&D in the country.

In 2013, the Asia R&D center was founded in Beijing, strengthening its localized R&D for local drivers.

Next year, a new chapter is to start with the debut of the Audi A6L e-tron in China, a landmark of the automaker's efforts to boost R&D in China for Chinese consumers.

The company hopes to sell more than 600,000 cars in China this year, up from 578,000 vehicles last year.

In the past four months of this year, Audi's China sales jumped by 5.66 percent to 177,628 units.

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/27/2015 page15)