Audi A1: Clever – and communicative

INGOLSTADT, Germany, – The networked person will feel at home here: The Audi A1 offers a rich multimedia world with state-of-the-art technology taken directly from the luxury segment. Ricky Hudi, Head of Electrics/Electronics Development at Audi, explains the fine details:

The new A1 is clever, communicative and informative. Its range of infotainment and multimedia systems is unrivalled in its category – the compact segment – in terms of versatility, high quality and innovation.

The infotainment system is modular in design. The standard chorus radio forms the basic building block. One level up is the concert radio, which features a separate, retractable screen. The high-resolution, 6.5-inch diagonal color display is unique in this vehicle class. A further option is “Ready for Nav,” which turns the radio into a navigation system. The necessary hardware is already installed in the car and the customer can purchase an SD card with navigation data at any time.

Topping the range is MMI navigation plus – a high-end media center. The high-resolution, fold-out 6.5-inch monitor has graphics with brilliant 3D optics; even the navigation map is three-dimensional. With the new Audi voice control system, the customer can enter a complete navigation address in one go. The selection of music tracks and albums from the jukebox can also be done purely by voice.

As in larger Audi models, the MMI terminal is integrated in the center console and can be operated just as easily. The large rotary pushbutton includes a small joystick, which can be used for scrolling in the navigation map. The soft and hard keys also allow the customer to move through the menu and to access individual features.

MMI navigation plus features a hard drive that can store up to 20 GB of music data. There’s also a card reader. State-of-the-art mobile players can be integrated via a Bluetooth interface or the Audi music interface. MMI navigation plus features an audio and video DVD player, presents the cover art, and plays songs in MP3, WMA, AAC, or MPEG4b format.

For discerning multimedia fans, other modules are available – a Bluetooth module, a CD changer, a digital radio tuner and two fine sound systems. Music can also be transmitted via wireless Bluetooth from a cell phone to the vehicle.