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c t t u e state-of-the-art materials How Audiintelligentlycombines Lightweight Design electromobility use ineveryday experience with How Audiisgathering Test inMunich - l t t b new networking How Audiisworkingonthe Drive-by-wire r r a y o - n w i r e The Audi Technology Magazine 1/2012

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Open the channel Scan this magazine’s images Audi Encounter. tagged with the Audi Augmented Reality Logo. In this new issue of the Audi Technology Magazine we Working on the future of the automobile present you with a great many of our ideas. We would like to show you that we are working on new mobility concepts, how issues like is one of the most exciting jobs of our time. efficiency and lightweight design shape our thinking and our ac- tions, and how we use state-of-the-art technology to increase the Michael Dick level of driving fun while, at the same time, significantly reducing Working on the future of the automobile is surely one fuel consumption. of the most exciting jobs of our time. The challenges have never Every Audi is a unique product with a clear character and been so great, the path to solutions so complex and the techno- distinct genes. But it should also fit perfectly to the individual life- logical approaches so varied. style of its owner and driver. At time of purchase, an Audi can be Yet our task is clear – to secure an individual mobility for designed from a virtually inexhaustible range of options and pos- the future that conserves resources. And we will be successful, be- sibilities to suit his very own style. With Audi drive select, the vehi­ cause we will make determined use of technological progress cle can be adapted to the preferred driving style every day and at across all disciplines – in new kinds of drive, as well as the opportu- any given moment. And in future, it will be possible to individualize nities presented by the networking of knowledge and functions. even the sound of the vehicle or its display systems and operating “Vorsprung durch Technik” is the genetic core of the Audi brand – elements. and a challenge set for our employees every single day. It is in this spirit that we at Audi are working on a great Take a look through this magazine and discover a few of the ideas many good ideas – on technologies and functions that, just a short with which we are approaching the future. Happy reading. time ago, seemed impossible. But the enormous progress made in electrics and electronics in particular has given the automobile a Yours truly, whole new kind of intelligence. It communicates with its environ- ment, it recognizes the threat of danger and it avoids accidents. Over the next few years we will see a whole host of new assistance systems that not only add significantly to comfort levels, but, more importantly, deliver a whole new level of road safety.

Michael Dick, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, Technical Development

2 Encounter Technology 3 Encounter Technology Drive-by-wire In by-wire technology, steering, braking and shift commands are transmitted by wire. Electrical components replace mechanical and hydraulic parts. Audi is researching all aspects of this topic. 1:1 is the scale of the by-wire technology model.

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4 Encounter Technology 5 Encounter Technology Exterior Refinements The Audi R8 e-tron high-performance sports car has a battery-electric drive. Its refined aerodynamics make a significant contribution to its intelligent energy management and to its range. 0.32 is the current cd figure for the technology showcase.

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7 Encounter Technology An Audi – as personal as a finger print In its Audi exclusive division, quattro GmbH fulfils even the most unusual customer desires. Individual one-offs are created in the workshop at the Neckarsulm plant. 3 hours is the time it takes to clad a steering wheel manually with leather.

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8 Encounter Technology 9 Encounter Technology The right material in the right place Audi is extending its leadership in lightweight design. A team of experts is developing the new Multimaterial Space Frame, which brings together metal and fiber-reinforced polymers. 198 kilograms is the weight of the R8 bodyshell made from CFRP and aluminum.

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10 Encounter Technology 11 Encounter Technology Light becomes 3-dimensional With MID technology, Audi is opening up the third dimension of vehicle lighting. And the lighting engineers still have plenty more irons in the fire. 52 LEDs are in the two hemispheres of the the MID light unit.

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12 Encounter Technology 13 Encounter Technology Mindset It was the courage to innovate that put Audi at the top. The company wants to build on that progress, with a constant Mindset. flow of new ideas and with a clear approach. 16 Out of the box 24 e-rodynamic 30 China Daily 38 Science Faction 44 Powered Up

14 Encounter Technology 15 Encounter Technology Innovation Out As head of think tank “Bauhaus Luftfahrt”, Prof. Dr. Mirko Hornung is one of the foremost minds in the field of aviation. He speaks with Audi Board Member for Technical Development Michael Dick about lifecycles, regenerative fuels and of the box cars that can find their own parking spot – or even fly.

Ideas for new mobility – Michael Dick (left) in conversation with Professor Mirko Hornung.

16 Encounter Technology 17 Encounter Technology Text Photos Today’s new aircraft models will still Hermann Reil Myrzik und Jarisch be flying in 2040. After that, however, there will have to be some very different air- craft concepts – most likely with a radical departure from the current designs. Mirko Hornung

Herr Hornung, Herr Dick, you are both working on the future of mobility, on the road and in the air. And you both have to think beyond the fa- miliar construct. How will we fly tomorrow and how will we drive? Hornung: For civil aviation passengers rather little is likely to change over the next few decades. This is due to the product cycle being far longer than for, say, automobiles. Today’s new aircraft such as the Boeing 787 or the Airbus A 350 will still be flying in the year 2040. After that, however, there will have to be some very different aircraft concepts – most likely with a radical departure from the current designs. You have brought along a model that looks very unusual indeed. Hornung: The Claire Liner is an aircraft concept devel- oped by Bauhaus Luftfahrt for transfer between the mega-cities of the future. With its circumferential airfoils and decoupled drive, we were able to reduce significantly its kerosene consumption and noise emissions. Our drive concept separates the core drive unit and thus the power generation from the means of forward propul- Professor Dr.-Ing. Mirko Hornung heads up the Bauhaus sion, known in the trade as “fans”. This enables the use of a larger Luftfahrt e.V. in Munich as Director of Research and Technology. Hornung is also a professor in the Aviation proportion of the airflow for propulsion and delivers a far higher Systems Department at the Technical University of degree of efficiency. Two turbines at the rear drive the four fans. Munich. Previously, Hornung held management positons We now have the first gearboxes actually capable of transmitting with aerospace group EADS. these hundreds of megawatts of power. Dick: What is the purpose of the unusual wing shape? Hornung: These box-wing airfoils deliver greater effi- ciency, less drag and less weight. With a conventional wing, the turbulence at the tips generates the largest proportion of drag. A closed wing eliminates this turbulence. Dick: When can we expect to see a prototype? Hornung: For us, the Claire Liner is primarily an integra- tion platform for new technologies. A flying prototype would call for a great deal more development work and financial investment. Herr Dick, you, too, have brought an unusual idea with you – in one-to-one scale. With the Audi urban concept, we have pre- Dick: With the Audi urban concept, we have presented sented an idea of how we envisage the a proposal for how we might imagine tomorrow’s driving in these way we might drive in metropolitan areas in metropolitan areas – as a new, young mobility concept with electric drive, with a high standard of safety and with a clear promise of future – with electric drive, a high level driving fun. During the development process we showed the project of safety and a clear promise of driving fun. to our children, who gave a lot of good input. At the end of the day, Michael Dick the urban concept is a minimalist concept for young people, to suit their habits and their changed approach to many of life’s issues. The reaction at the Frankfurt Auto Show was amazingly good and, since then, we have discussed it with more potential custom- er groups like parents with children. We are still working on this concept, which could enter series production, although we have yet to reach a decision on that.

1 1 Idea for new flying – the Claire Liner concept air- plane promises considerably lower emissions.

2 Idea for new driving – the Audi urban concept is a young mobility concept for metropolitan areas.

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18 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 19 Encounter Technology A vehicle like the Audi urban concept is surely not the And how are you supposed to achieve that when the only path to the future. aircraft remain the same? Dick: We have a lot of ideas. Our individual product cy- Hornung: The aircraft now entering service will fly cles are, of course, shorter than they are in aviation. The breadth of for the next 40 years. A completely new airplane delivers a 15 options is far greater, although the innovation steps themselves percent improvement in efficiency. On average for the fleet that are initially more modest. Nevertheless, absolutely nobody has a means an annual improvement of around 1.5 percent. But the ex- firm scenario for the year 2040 or even 2030. There is certainly also pected growth rate stands at 4.5 percent per year – i.e. three times no linear path that will take us there. Our objectives are clear – CO₂-free mobility that amount. The short and mid-term solution is, to put it simply So, for the moment, the situation is primarily about in the metropolitan areas; CO₂-neutral – the same plane, different fuel. Energy generated from renew- building bridges to a future that nobody knows. mobility cross-country. We are working in- able sources is our bridging technology for the next 20 to 30 Dick: Naturally we have to work through a lot of things years. The next major step for the airplanes themselves will not in parallel now, which costs a lot in terms of resources. Our ob- tensively on both of these, and both will come before 2030. Everything until then is already technologi- jectives are clear – CO₂-free mobility in the metropolitan areas; be available for customers in the foresee- cally set in stone. CO₂-neutral mobility cross-country. The one can be a battery-elec- able future. Dick: We call our idea for that Balanced Mobility. We tric car, the other perhaps a plug-in hybrid fueled by regenerative Michael Dick will generate natural gas from available wind energy and use an energy. We are working intensively on both of these and both will available infrastructure for its distribution – i.e. the natural gas be available to customers within the foreseeable future. And it network. The seriousness of this concept was doubted by some in really is not that important what the final scenario actually looks the beginning, but now it is finding an increasing amount of sup- like, the electrification of the automobile is in no way a wasted effort port. With the generation of natural gas from renewable sources, – whether the long-term outcome is all-electric drive, with hydro- we can continue to use the highly developed technology of the gen or whatever else. internal combustion engine in a way that is CO₂ neutral. That seems Is a commercial aircraft with electric drive to us like a highly intelligent way forward. conceivable? Hornung: In the aviation industry, we are working with Hornung: In principle, it is not completely impossible. similar targets. In a project with ETH Zürich, we are researching What we are looking at right now are concepts for short distances a concept whereby synthetic gas can be produced directly from of up to 1,000 kilometers, which covers most flights these days. A solar energy using a catalytic process and then converted into syn- class like the Dornier 328, like the one we are sitting in, would be thetic kerosene. This is looking like a highly promising approach. the first to be considered for electrification. But we face even We, too, have an enormous bandwidth of possibilities and ideas tougher constraints than the automobile, because we require the from which we are trying to identify the right ways forward. combination of energy volume for long distance and concentration How much potential for optimization is there still of power for the take-off phase. One conceivable option would be within current aircraft technology? a hybrid system using battery storage for take-off and a fuel cell Hornung: A great deal has already been done and al- for distance travel. most everything has been teased out. Since the Boeing 707, the But surely batteries like that would be far too heavy. mother of modern commercial airliners, consumption and emis- Hornung: Right now we have many tons of kerosene on sions have been reduced by more than 70 percent. A fully loaded A board. Although, it is fair to say that electric drive for aviation will 380 now consumes around 3.3 liters per 100 passenger kilome- not be feasible until we achieve an energy density of 1.2 kilowatt ters. We are now at the limit in all individual disciplines such as hours per kilogram. Below that would be a pointless exercise, and aerodynamics. There is not much left to be gained. We are now we’re currently a long way away from there. making increased use of synergy effects – for example, the wings Dick: Sometime, there will be an energy storage medi- on the latest aircraft designs are constructed with a great deal um that will give an electric car the range of a conventional vehicle. more flexibility. This doesn’t deliver any aerodynamic benefits, But for the foreseeable future, energy storage technology is not but reduces structural loads as part of the design criteria, meaning likely to change much. Battery manufacturers have invested in the that the aircraft can be more lightweight. One interesting potential current technology and our research engineers are not giving us at the moment is in the drives. The new engines for the future A 320 any real hope that we will see any revolutionary progress in the next New Engine Option promise savings of around 15 percent. ten years. Dick: We can match that. Audi has developed a new The target for CO₂ reduction is extremely demanding generation of the 1.8 liter TFSI with virtually every refinement in aviation, too, isn’t it? the very latest engine technology has to offer. We have been able Hornung: The aviation industry set its own target to cut to reduce the average fuel consumption of the facelifted Audi A4 the CO₂ emissions of 2009 in half by 2050 – from a current level of by 19 percent. 600 million to around 300 million tons. When you extrapolate One major issue for commercial aircraft is currently the current emissions with the expected growth in air traffic, we carbon-fiber design. What does that have to offer? would be at 2.2 billion tons by 2050. The defined target, however, Hornung: Considered purely on the basis of efficiency is 300 million. improvement, carbon-fiber structures have relatively little to offer compared with improvements in drive technology, perhaps three to four percent. When it comes to weight, the current aluminum The short and mid-term solution for CO₂ approach is already very good. Fiber composite technology, how- reduction is – the same aircraft, differ- ever, can help in other areas to reduce mass – for instance, through ent fuel. Energy generated from renewable new climate control concepts for the cabin. sources is our bridging technology for Dick: When it comes to lightweight design, we work on the next 20 to 30 years. the basis of an intelligent mix – fiber-reinforced materials in com- Mirko Hornung bination with aluminum and high-strength steels. In future, we will take the entire energy requirement of a vehicle into consider- ation, including the materials used – and this is where CFRP has considerable disadvantages.

Experience Michael Dick and Mirko Hornung live in conversation. www.encounter.audi.com

20 Encounter Technology 21 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 Hornung: That would help us a lot, too – airports and Airports and their connection to the their connection to the roads network are increasingly becoming roads network are increasingly becoming bottlenecks. Cars that you can drive up in and that then search bottlenecks. Cars that you can drive up autonomously for a parking spot would save a great deal of time. Dick: We must think a lot more about the connection in and that then search autonomously for and combination of the different traffic systems. A new mobil- a parking spot would save a great deal ity concept includes, for example, a navigation system that also of time. incorporates public transport. You enter your destination and Mirko Hornung the desired arrival time and then the system searches for the op- timum mix of transportation. That can vary depending on the time of day. We now have a large team at Audi that is working on this kind of mobility concept. In many large cities we are seeing ownership demand turn into usership demand, in which case we also have to develop our business model. When I secure a lease contract, I can in future perhaps gain access to a variety of vehicle types depending on my requirements – a cabrio here, a station wagon there. Hornung: In the USA, the first flying car has been reg- Hornung: What are the areas in automotive design with istered, for both road and air. Could you imagine something a high degree of potential for innovation? like that? Dick: Drive-by-wire technologies would be one exam- Dick: When I think of the traffic density on the roads ple. They are already a lot further on in the aircraft sector. For us, and apply that to the air as well, I think rather not. steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire are particularly interesting, be- Hornung: The sky is only full above an altitude of ten cause they enable us to take weight out of the car. We will also have kilometers, and a flying car wouldn’t climb that high anyway. more flexibility when it comes to packaging when we no longer If such flying vehicles could independently agree their position need a steering column. Electromechanical brakes have a very fine and control themselves to a large extent autonomously, I think degree of control and improve recuperation performance with elec- it would be highly conceivable. tric drive, plus we can dispense with brake fluid. These technologies Dick: Perhaps that is a blockbuster innovation for the are also helpful on the road a future featuring piloted driving. years to come. But we are not working on it at this point in time. Hornung: We have had assistance systems in the cock- pit for a long time, but we are extremely cautious when it comes to the operational introduction of unmanned flying. The question of situation awareness, ensuring that the system acts correctly in any given situation, is very important. In road traffic, with the large number of players involved, I imagine that would be far more complicated. Dick: We are already very far on in the development pro- With Balanced Mobility we can take ad- cess. We are working with radar systems, lasers and cameras en- vantage of natural gas generated from re- abling the vehicle to orientate itself within its environment. The newable energy to continue using the sensors can, for example, identify pedestrians with a high degree highly developed technology of the internal of reliability. This will be the next major step toward greater driving combustion engine in a way that is CO₂ safety. The final responsibility, however, will always remain with the driver. neutral. That seems to us like a highly intel- Hornung: Assisted driving or flying means an ever ligent way forward. increasing level of communication between road users. In aviation, Michael Dick we are already experiencing problems with overloaded frequencies. Dick: Initially, we are using existing infrastructures, such as the swarm intelligence of the cell phone network, for our new online traffic information – for the first time it delivers precise traffic information in real time. We are also speaking with the manufacturers of traffic light controls. The vehicle will be able to retrieve information on the control of green light phases from the city’s traffic management system. We originally wanted to make it possible to retrieve information from every traffic light, but that is financially unfeasible. In a few years, the driver will know from the navigation system how to drive perfectly through the green wave. This extends further to parking lots – the driver gets out of the car at the entrance to the parking garage and the car searches for a space on its own. Das Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V. is a research institute founded in Munich in 2005 by the three aerospace companies EADS, Liebherr-Aerospace and MTU Aero Engines, as well as the Bavarian Department of Commerce. The team of around 35 scientists operates as an international think tank focused on the future of mobility and of civil avia- tion in particular.

www.bauhaus-luftfahrt.net

22 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 23 Encounter Technology e-rodynamic

Wind Resistance On the electric-powered Audi R8 e-tron, the role played by drag is hugely significant. It makes a major contribution to its energy management and to its range.

24 Encounter Technology 25 Encounter Technology Airflow – around, beneath and through: The Audi R8 e-tron in the wind tunnel.

26 Encounter Technology 27 Encounter Technology 1 1 New ways – the air intakes on the front hood play a major role in the R8 e-tron. Audi’s Wind Tunnel Center 2 Lord of the wind – Dr. Moni Islam, Head of Development, Aerodynamics/ Aeroacoustics at Audi.

Audi’s Wind Tunnel Center in Ingolstadt com- 3 Flow expert – Dr. Martin Brennberger prises three hi-tech installations. The largest of them is the aeroacoustic wind designed the aerodynamic tunnel, which can reproduce wind speeds of up to 300 km/h. concept for the Audi R8 e-tron. In the Thermal Wind Tunnel, the cars are heated to as much as 55 degrees Celsius, and the Climatic Wind Tunnel can generate virtually every one of the world’s climates – it even incorporates a rain machine.

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to accelerate the vehicle, the energy required to overcome drag cannot be recuperated*, meaning that the cd figure has a more profound impact on the range of the vehicle.” Text Photos Electric drive opens up a whole new range of highly in- Johannes Köbler Stefan Warter teresting opportunities for engineers. Because the R8 e-tron re- quires no air for combustion and has no oil cooler, they were able to close off the side air intakes at the front and the “sideblades” along the flanks. The absence of the big V8 engine, transmission and exhaust system allows for a completely smooth underbody. The development of an electric car presents At its rear, a long, slightly upward sloping diffuser channels the air very specific challenges. In order to bring so that it harmonizes perfectly with the airflow around the back of range and performance into line with each other, engineers must the vehicle. ensure that not a single Joule of energy is lost needlessly. A cru- The luggage compartment has moved from the front cial field of technology in this respect is aerodynamics. to the area behind the cabin – above the electric motor and the “With the R8 e-tron, which is of course based on the R8 battery, which is maintained at a temperature of around 30 degrees series-production vehicle, we began with the corresponding cd Celsius and thus does not present any thermal problems. At the figure of 0.348,” says Dr. Martin Brennberger. He is the lead engi- front of the car are all the components required for the R8 e-tron’s neer on the aerodynamic concept for the electric-powered high- sophisticated thermal management. They include the heat ex- performance sports car, which is scheduled to enter low-volume changer that cools the motor, the power electronics and the bat- series production at the end of 2012. “On the technology showcase tery, as well as the condenser for the air conditioning, which works unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show, we already achieved a cd of together with the heat pump to control the temperatures of the 0.32. And we assume that we can shave another chunk off of that.” interior and battery. The more smoothly a car glides through the air, the less All of these components are supplied intensively with energy it consumes. On the R8 e-tron, whose electric motors de- cooling air. It flows in a closed channel through the front of the car liver 230 kW (313 hp), the improvement has a direct impact on and exits through openings on the front cover panel – an all-new range. The first study from 2009 was based on a range of 248 kilo- solution for a road vehicle that also increases the downforce on the meters from a single battery charge. Each thousandth in the cd front axle, similar to that on the R8 race car for the GT3 category. figure – each point, as the aerodynamicists say – brings around 0.2 “Carefully thought-through, effective thermal management is the kilometers more. cornerstone of electrification,” sums up Dr. Brennberger. “On the “The leap from 0.35 to 0.32 increased the range by R8 e-tron, it works perfectly together with the aerodynamics.” around 6 kilometers,” reckons Dr. Moni Islam, Head of Develop­ Before the Audi R8 e-tron is launched, the aerodynam- ↑ Efficiency – each improvement of one hundredth in the cd figure ment, Aerodynamics/Aeroacoustics. “On electrified vehicles, aero- ic experts will carry out a lot more refinements. This extends to the delivers two kilometers more range. dynamics in general have a far greater role to play than with con- classic details like wheels, tires and exterior mirrors – to ensure that ventional drives,” continues Islam. “In contrast to the energy used not a single Joule is lost needlessly.

28 Encounter Technology 29 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 Experience the Audi Q3 Trans China Tour in fast forward. www.encounter.audi.com

Off-road testing – The Audi Q3 also masters challenging terrain with ease. China Daily

The happy caravan China is different – in many aspects, different from all Beijing → Shanghai that we know in the West. 20 new Audi Q3s took part in the Trans China Tour 北京 北京 → 上海 through a land in a state of flux. Wave 1 – the first four stages of the Trans China Tour connect the rapidly growing urban centers in the east of the country.

济南

青岛

南京

上海 1 2 1 Rare – bicycles have become a less frequent feature of city roads.

↓ Development – with huge bridges and brand new highways, China is making enormous expansions to its traffic infrastructure.

上海

杭州

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2 Splendor – the capital Beijing with the distinctive “kinked” CCTV tower on the right.

3 3 Upheaval – economic change is clearly evident in small towns, too.

Text Photos The bicycle bell symphony on the streets of the Chinese 福州 Markus Stier Picture:service capital has long ceased. These days it is the horns of countless au- tomobiles that set the tone. China is motorizing itself – at least in the major cities – and to such an extent that new vehicle registra- tions in Beijing have been limited to just 17,000 per year. It goes Number three. Three is good. Eight would without saying that the suitably solvent car buyer seeks to acquire have been better, but it could have been a license plate with as many eights in it as possible, but even that worse – with number four or 14. Because, in the Middle Kingdom, does not protect him from taking mandatory breaks. Because, de- anything that includes a four stands for all sorts of bad luck. The pending on their license plate, the locals must leave their automo- 厦门 number 8, on the other hand, is something the Chinese can’t get tive pride and joy at home on certain weekdays. Only at weekends Shanghai → Shenzhen enough of, which is why those who can afford it book suite number is everybody free to drive as they wish. 8888 in the Seven Star Hotel in Zhaoqing – even though the build- We’re in luck, however. The traffic heading south leaves 上海 → 深圳 ing only has six floors. the city without problem, which is a good thing, as we have a lot to We will spend the next three weeks in car number three do. Audi has invited around 160 journalists to take part in the Trans Wave 2 – heading into southern China, mega-cities continue to mark the staging – one of 20 new Audi Q3s brought together in Beijing for the Trans China Tour. They will travel this huge country from north to south posts along the way. China Tour. Today is Sunday, and it is a matter of sheer luck wheth- in four groups – covering a total of 5,700 kilometers in 16 stages, er you are able to make it out of the city in reasonable time. This from Beijing, through Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guilin to the finish morning marks the start of a long journey, and it could begin very line in Hong Kong. The intention is for the journalistic fraternity to slowly indeed if too many Beijing inhabitants choose exactly this gain a wide-ranging impression of China, which is now Audi’s big- 深圳 time to visit family or do a bit of power-shopping. gest market and a significant element in its future growth strategy.

33 Encounter Technology 1 Powerful – Mao Zedong has become a Shenzhen → Guilin rare sight. A large-scale version greets us in the city of Fuzhou. 深圳 → 桂林

2 Lush green – subtropical vegetation in Wave 3 – from the huge economic area surround- South China. The Audi Q3s travel between rice ing city of ten million Shenzhen, the route heads paddies and banana plants. into the natural scenery around Guilin. The fourth wave then drives in the opposite direction back to 3 Contrast – fascinating landscapes deliver the Shenzhen and the Tour finale in Hong Kong. perfect contrast to the modern cities.

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4 Fast roads – in South China, too, the network 2 of highways and roads has undergone enormous expansion.

↓ Popular – Yangshuo is one of the most preferred destinations among Chinese tourists.

桂林

阳朔 1

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The Audi Q3 is the perfect companion for the big tour. With its compact format and excellent visibility, it moves effort- lessly through urban traffic. Its sporty character, powerful and ef- ficient engines and high comfort level also turn long journeys into a pleasurable experience. And thanks to its versatile handling char- acteristics, Audi’s compact SUV is just as much at home on rough terrain. The tour participants learn to appreciate all of these char- acteristics immensely. However, the most decisive help en route to the evening Thanks to uninterrupted economic growth, a burgeon- stopover destinations is delivered by the MMI navigation in the Audi 广州 ing middle class is emerging in the People’s Republic. The Audi Q5 Q3. Drivers from the West are initially surprised by how well and 肇庆 is extremely successful here and the clear market leader, providing detailed the Chinese network of roads and even tracks are stored the best possible prerequisites for the compact Q3, which will be on the hard drive. A total of around three million kilometers are available for sale here as of 2012 as an import model and will also digitized to a very high degree of data precision. It may sound sur- later be produced in China. prising, but a navigation system in China must operate far more The European guests also get a feel for the growing accurately than, say, in Germany. Several roads are often located 深圳 wealth here, and not just from the sight of forests of constructions very close to each other. On and off ramps are far more frequent cranes stretching skyward on the outskirts of every city, tirelessly and the multi-level concrete roads present very particular chal- pulling enormous high-rise residential blocks upward out of the lenges. In Shanghai there is a four-level road with circular ramps earth. The roads network in China is developing at a rapid rate, too. and several off-shoots on each level – a true challenge for every There are already 70,000 kilometers of highway crisscrossing pri- navigation device. marily the densely populated eastern part of this huge land. In just And there is one more problem – the enormous speed a few years it will leave the current record holder the USA with its with which new roads and bridges are being built here. On the Tour, 76,000 highway kilometers trailing in its wake. the Audi Q3s drive over several bridges or through tunnels that the The government is planning ahead. Over the next two system does not yet know, in fact cannot yet know – because the decades 400 million people will make the transition from the low authorities in China are faster at completing new building work to the mid-income bracket, making the roads network in many than they are at approving updates to map software. Thus, the provinces – in contrast to the cities – seem extremely generous navigation voice falls silent when the Q3 seems to drive over the at the moment. The brand new highways with very little traffic are sea through the expansive Jiazhou Bay near Qingdao. No wonder, a huge help for the long daily distances covered by the Trans the bridge was opened just a couple of months ago. At around 42 China Tour. kilometers long, it claims to be the world’s longest sea bridge.

34 Encounter Technology Guilin → Hong Kong 1 The other side – in China, it often takes 3 Completed – the finish ramp of the Trans just an hour to drive from urban pro- China Tour in Shenzhen. 桂林 → 香港 sperity to hard labor in the rice paddies. 4 Finale – Hong Kong is once again a 2 Mystical landscape – the unique karst real high point for the tour participants. hills around Guilin are often shrouded in a misty haze.

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This is nothing to dampen the spirits. Be it at a popular card game or at a meeting with long-nosed foreigners – laughter is frequent and loud, even when the highway between Hangzhou and Fuzhou is closed for a couple of hours to enable a visiting dignitary from 4 abroad a clear run through. Alongside rapid wealth and a long life, there is nothing more important to the Chinese than food. The participants sit at countless round tables during the tour. On the lazy susans are an amazing array of dishes – Peking duck in Beijing, fish cooked in beer 1 in Guilin and dumplings filled with caramel in Zhaoqing. Not nec- essarily everything is to European tastes – boiled jellyfish and braised frog are declined by most. This country, with its 1.3 billion inhabitants is, in many The third and fourth groups also have the chance to ways, a land of superlatives. Car number three passes the world’s experience the robust potential of the new SUV with quattro per- highest TV tower – all 600 meters of it – in Guangzhou. Some of the manent all-wheel drive off-road. From the expansive industrial highest buildings are in Shanghai. This is also the planet’s largest region around Shenzhen, the route leads mainly along small roads urban conurbation, occupying around three times the area of the and tracks into the impressive scenery of the region around Guilin, German state of Saarland. And while only one million people live with its unique karst hills and miles of rice paddies. In the south- there, Shanghai is home to 23 million – perhaps even more, no one ernmost province of Guanxi, just before the border to Vietnam, really knows for sure. The traffic jam in the city center is 16 kilome- thousands of cone-shaped rock formations rise up to 700 meters ters long – however, we thankfully manage to avoid this particular out of the earth. School children all over the country sing songs superlative. about the beauty of a landscape that is often shrouded in a mystical Every provincial capital in China is at least the size of haze. Those who can afford it make a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see Berlin, most of them twice the size. The hand-to-hand combat on the most beautiful formations along the Li River from a caravan of the congested roads is a constant challenge. Le Mans champion river steamboats, or they treat themselves to a bamboo raft tour André Lotterer, who joins the Trans China Tour for a while, speaks on the Yulong. of “freestyle driving”. Like the Audi works driver, virtually all of the In the last group, the cars are driven largely by Chinese tour participants derive a certain satisfaction from lane surfing, journalists, and it goes without saying that there is no longer a from the restrained but energetic jostling and from the search for car 4. It now bears the number 88 – a sure-fire guarantee of luck. unconventional solutions to circumnavigate an emerging traffic Nevertheless, the luck remains reasonably well distributed. Like snarl-up. The nimble power of the Audi Q3 with its 211 hp TFSI all the others, car three crosses the finish line with barely a engine and S tronic transmission is, of course, a big help. Overall, scratch, although unwashed and proudly displaying the dust of the traffic in China is chaotic and hectic, but largely free from ag- eight provinces. gression. With a certain racing-driver attitude in these head-to- With an increasing number of Chinese able to afford it, heads, you ultimately earn that decisive little bit of space. Plus, the many will surely take the tour into the beautiful south of the coun- Chinese may sound their horns like mad, but there is not a hint of try in their own cars one day – accompanied by a pioneering tingle, rage on their faces as they look through their car windows. as our parents once felt when they first set of in a VW Beetle for the In fact, it is generally apparent that the Chinese adopt Adriatic or Lake Garda. Or as we did – because every day of the Trans a very relaxed attitude to life’s hardships. The often close juxtapo- China Tour was a little adventure. And thanks to growing prosper- sition of wealth and poverty is one of the more compelling images ity, the market for premium automobiles will continue to grow of the Tour. The people have been used to laborious toil in the rice above the market average. In 2011, Audi sold around 300,000 cars paddies for thousands of years. Handcarts are pulled with stoic in China, and soon it will be 400,000. But perhaps 388,888 calm, until you can afford a motorized three-wheeler or even a car. should be announced first…

37 Encounter Technology 2 Text Illustration Agnes Happich Scriberia

Seeing with the eyes of a city How will we get around in cities in future? What role will be played by cars in mega-cities? The Audi Urban Summit is a forum where architects, sociologists and trend researchers take a look into the crystal ball. Despite different visions of the future, Science the experts are united on one thing – the cities of the world are talking to us; they are giving Faction the answers themselves to the questions of future mobility. We just have to listen.

The end of “yours” and “mine” – what will we still own in future? The ticket model – will we buy journeys instead of cars? “The consumption model for the 21st century will be collaborative. We will learn to use our internet access “We will have a new system of consumption. In this system, the unit will no longer be the car, to share goods in a new and different way.” but the journey.”

Alison Brooks, Architect Charles Leadbeater, Architect and Computer Scientist

38 39 A look inside the car of the future – more room, fewer buttons? No more red-amber-green – a world without traffic lights? “The appearance of the car will change dramatically with battery-operated drive. The heavy driveline “The digital tsunami that is currently rolling into our cities will sweep away a great many things disappears, leaving lots of free space in the interior. We must design these new interiors to be that we have always taken for granted, like traffic lights for instance. A digitalized car as minimalist as possible. When reduced to the bare essentials, spaces appear light and roomy. One thing is that communicates with other cars and with its environment no longer needs traffic lights.” certain despite the new functions, despite all the networking, an Audi will remain utterly simple and intuitive to operate in future, too.” Jürgen Mayer H., Architect

Stefan Sielaff, Head of Design AUDI AG *

In Mexico City, every inhabitant spends an average of 38 days per year in a traffic jam – that is more than the annual leave of most 2 Europeans. Mexico City is a so-called mega-city, which means a city with more than five Parking, washing, charging – will the car become its own butler? million inhabitants – far more. Around 20 million people live in Mexico’s capital, although percent “Imagine you are driving through the city with your electric car looking for a parking spot. Your car shows of the earth’s nobody knows exactly how many. An increasing number of people worldwide are moving you a selection of parking garages and you make your selection. When you arrive there, you select crust is to cities like this – they are growing at breakneck speed. More people, more cars – for indi- services such as “charge” or “wash”, climb out of the car and go shopping at your leisure. The car takes care of covered by viduals, this means less and less space to live, less air to breath. The pressing problems of the rest for you. It searches for an empty parking spot on its own, charges itself via induction and cities. the world’s mega-cities are presenting city planners and architects with completely new then has itself washed.” challenges – and the same applies to auto makers. In order to understand these problems, you have to “see with the eyes of a city,” says Saskia Sassen, the renowned sociologist from Ricky Hudi, Head of Development, Electrics/Electronics AUDI AG Columbia University, New York.

40 * until january 2012 41 Encounter Technology Experience the Audi Urban Future Summit. www.encounter.audi.com

Roads turn into walkways, then into flower beds and then back again – the surface of a city as a chameleon? “Imagine 20 years from now that the entire surface area of the city, its roads and walkways, curbstones and flowerbeds along the roadside, all its signposts are exchanged for a new digital and elastic surface area. It can change continuously to fit life on the streets. The space between buildings can adapt to suit the new, flowing form of transportation.” “A whole lot of brainpower came together at the Audi Urban Future Summit,” Andreas Klok Pedersen, Architect said engineer and architect Carlo Ratti, one of the speakers at the event. Brainpower from 80 very diverse disciplines. Rupert Stadler underlined how important this multi-disciplinary dialogue is for Audi: “We understand that Audi cannot answer the question of mobility in percent of CO₂ emissions are the city of the future on its own. No company, no city planner and no government can do generated in that. We must network. We must enter new cooperations, this time with players from the Few automakers are actually prepared to adopt this perspective, because ad- the world’s cities. urban environment.” dressing the problems of the urban future demands a new way of thinking. Rupert Stadler, Each one of the experts at the summit used the platform to present their vision 75 Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG considers the city of the future: “There of mobility in the cities of the future and to open them up for discussion. The questions are currently seven billion people on earth – living, working, eating, driving – 70 percent posed by the experts functioned like a window to the future. Will we drive ourselves in percent of energy is consumed by in so-called mega-cities. I ask myself: What are the urgent problems facing these cities? future? What does it mean for the driver, when he/she hands over the steering wheel to a the world’s cities. What energies change a city?” To find answers to these questions, the automaker founded digital system, when cars drive autonomously and are constantly networked? How can we the Audi Urban Future Summit. It is one pillar of the Audi Urban Future Initiative, which work with decreasing resources, space and time? Must we rethink the concept of sharing has become a fixed element of Audi as a company. and take it much farther? The summit is a symposium, a forum on the topic of future urban mobility. It As varied as the approaches of the summit experts were, they were all united on took place for the first time during the lead up to the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. Top- one issue – there can be no single solution for mobility in the cities of the future. There will ranking experts from architecture, city planning, trend research and computer science be many different models, as varied as the cities of the world. The path to these solutions discussed their visions of these cities and of future mobility. And all 450 guests in the will be defined by the cities themselves – they are speaking to us. “The city talks back,” said audience were able to join the discussion. Saskia Sassen in her opening address. And Audi is listening and learning.

42 Encounter Technology 43 Encounter Technology Experience the Audi A1 e-tron in action. www.encounter.audi.com

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1 Designed specifically for the job – the instruments.

2 Enthusiastic A1 e-tron driver – Christian Thomaschefsky at the wheel.

Powered Up

Electric cars on fleet test The first 20 Audi A1 e-trons have been driving through Munich since September. They are part of a test fleet used by Audi to research how its customers handle electric cars.

44 Encounter Technology 45 Encounter Technology Anyone who pays attention to their fuel consumption in a regular car will have no problem working with electricity. Christian Thomaschefsky Range with range extender A1 e-tron tester Nuremberg

Range with batteries

Ulm 2 Munich

A car that feels at home in the city – the Audi A1 e-tron at the Siegestor in Munich.

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Text Photos Daniel Schuster Stefan Warter

It’s 5.3 kilometers to the Vik- The Audi e-tron is parked in a small under- tualienmarkt, almost 20 to the ground parking lot across the street from Ostermayer’s Riem shopping mall and around 35 to Terminal 2 of apartment. From the outside, it looks virtually identical Munich Airport – for the past two weeks, Stefanie to its series-production sibling, only the lettering on Ostermayer has been counting every kilometer when the side and the absence of an exhaust pipe at the rear she climbs into her glacier white Audi A1. She is a test give it away as an electric car. Ostermayer climbs in and driver in Audi’s electromobility fleet test. Like 19 other pushes the start button. The instruments light up and testers, she is driving an electric prototype, the Audi A1 a quiet hum is audible. That’s all, and the A1 e-tron is e-tron, for several months. ready to drive. It glides out of the parking garage and Audi is looking forward to gaining a lot of onto the road with virtually no sound – into the daily information from the fleet test on how people handle hustle and bustle of the city, heading for Riem, where the new drive technology. The objective is to learn more the business studies graduate works. Once there, the about the behavior, as well as the expectations of the car can be connected once more to a charging station. customer. For Stefanie Ostermayer, the silent ride is a The charging infrastructure necessary for completely new driving experience. She notices it es- the fleet test was installed in Munich by project part- pecially in the morning, when things are still relatively ners. E.ON handled mainly the more outlying areas, quiet in Munich’s Schwabing district. while the Works Department of Munich City dealt with the Bavarian capital itself. Overall, the two energy pro- viders installed around 100 charging points each. All are fed with eco-electricity generated from renewable energy sources – an important aspect. At the end of the day, Audi doesn’t want to transfer the CO₂ emissions to 1 The range of the e-tron – electricity production, but rather reduce it in a sustain- the range extender multiplies the range. able manner. The project is being supported by the Arrival is guaranteed. German Ministry of Transport as part of the “Modell- region Elektromobiliät München” program, a large- 2 Power source – the city works department has installed a charging infra- scale real-life test in which Christian Thomaschefsky is structure in Munich. also participating.

46 Encounter Technology 47 Encounter Technology The planning was a little unfamiliar at first. But once you rethink things, it works very well. Stefanie Ostermayer A1 e-tron tester

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Modern automobile – the Audi A1 e-tron is urban, intelligent and forward-looking.

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Thomaschefsky has been driving the A1 Thomaschefsky had no real difficulty adapt- e-tron since September and is totally enamored. To- ing to the change. He drives short distances complete- gether with his girlfriend, the economist underwent ly as usual, even enjoying some occasional bursts of training for the fleet test, as did all the other test very sporty driving. When driving in the city, he is a little drivers – after all, this is a prototype with a high- more careful, accelerating more modestly and using voltage system. Alongside a practical introduction, the recuperation* function by braking with the electric there was also a theoretical briefing on the tech- motor to charge the battery. For him, this is not diffi- nology and system. How is the A1 e-tron operated? cult at all. “Anyone who pays attention to fuel con- Where is the vehicle charged? And what do you do sumption can do it with electricity, too,” is his opinion. in the event of an accident? If he has questions or And when the energy in the battery is insufficient, there problems, Thomaschefsky can call the hotline num- is always the range extender*. ber set up specifically for the project at any time. When required, the battery of the 75 kW A data logger in the car gathers all the im- (102 hp) Audi A1 e-tron can be charged by a compact portant figures. When and where is the car charged? internal combustion engine in the rear of the car. This Which routes and distances are covered? This is supple- range extender charges the battery while driving and mented by questionnaires, monitoring labs and group increases the range to up to 250 kilometers. The bat- discussions with the participants. All 20 testers first tery takes the form of a pack of lithium-ion modules spent several weeks driving the A1 with an internal integrated within the floor assembly in front of the rear combustion engine before they were then able to take axle. The A1 e-tron is a premium vehicle with four seats to the wheel of the A1 e-tron with electric drive. This and a fully usable luggage compartment conceived for way, Audi gains more detailed information on whether use in urban areas. the customer behaves differently when driving an elec- The adjustment was no problem for Oster- tric car than one with a conventional drive. meyer either. “It was just the route planning that was a little unfamiliar at first,” she explains to a curious passer-by as she plugs her A1 into the charging station. “You have to rethink things a little, but then it works very well.” The only thing that still seems a little diffi- cult is the search for a charging station. “In contrast to fuel stations, very few passers-by know where the near- est charging point is.” However, help is at hand in the 1 Day trip – the range extender facilitates form of an app, which displays all the electricity charg- longer journeys, too. ing points installed by E.ON and the Munich City Works

2 Business vehicle – the A1 e-tron has become Department. There are no less than 20 in the city center part of Thomaschefsky’s everyday life. inside the middle ring road.

48 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 49 Encounter Technology Audi A1 e-tron

Data Peak power / continuous rating 75 kW (102 hp) / 45 kW (61 hp) Max. torque 240 Nm Energy, lithium-ion battery 12 kWh Range extender single-rotor Wankel engine 0–100 km/h 10.2 s Top speed 130 km/h Consumption 1.9 l/100 km* CO₂ emissions 45 g/km* 2 Range with battery ca. 50 km Range with range extender ca. 250 km

*In accordance with standards set for range extender vehicles

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The app also serves as an interface between For Audi and the other project partners, this the project partners, the testers and the A1. If required, is an important signal, as this issue still comes with a it shows the battery charge status, the location of the great many unanswered questions. Which vehicle con- car and a wide range of other useful information. The cept does the customer really need? Is an e-tron being pre-heating of the interior via the external power con- used as a first or second vehicle? User behavior when nection can also be initiated via the app, as can the ve- it comes to charging and range will be particularly im- hicle charging itself. When using high-voltage current, portant for future development work. From a statisti- the message that the A1 e-tron is charged is sent to the cal standpoint, a range of 50 kilometers is more than cell phone just 1.5 hours later – and after around three enough. However, will customers also understand that hours using a normal outlet. a limited range doesn’t have to restrict them – espe- With a full battery, Ostermayer heads back cially as the range extender is a reliable way to avoid into the city in the early afternoon to do some grocery being stranded? The fleet test should yield results. shopping at the Viktualienmarkt. The people seem in- Until then, Ostermayer and Thomaschefsky will be terested when the electric car glides silently by, and among the very few exotics on the roads driving toward there are always questions. Ostermayer is used to it shaping the future. from friends and neighbors. Everyone wants to come along for the ride – to experience the new feeling. There is no shortage of positive feedback, but the issue of range gives rise to a certain degree of uncertainty. “It depends what you want to use the electric car for,” is Ostermayer’s standard response. She, too, has switched to an Audi with a conventional TDI or TFSI drive for a longer weekend trip. However, for everyday driving, the range of the e-tron is plenty – something she intends to emphasize in the debriefing at the end of the test.

1 Shopping cart – the A1 e-tron on a visit to the Viktualienmarkt. The trunk offers plenty of space.

2 Experience in everyday life – the compact Audi is an urban all-rounder.

50 Encounter Technology 51 Encounter Technology Skills Among Audi’s greatest strengths is the expertise of every single one of its employees. Skills. It forms the basis for perfection and innovation. 54 Wired for Action 60 Weight Watchers 66 Networker 72 The Strong Silent Type 78 Light Work 84 Simply Red 86 Magazine 88 Made-to-measure 96 The Layered Look 98 Better by Half 106 Print Preview 112 Change Extender

52 Encounter Technology 53 Encounter Technology Technology model – the chassis of the by-wire technology Audi R8 e-tron minus steering column and with electromechanical brakes. When the transmission of steering, braking and shift commands is carried out via cable, mechanical and hydraulic components can be dispensed with. Audi is researching by-wire technology.

Wired for Action

54 Encounter Technology 55 Encounter Technology Steer-by-wire

Electric motors on the steering box and at the steering wheel replace the steering column.

Brake-by-wire

In the technology model, an electromechanical system implements the driver’s commands.

56 Encounter Technology 57 Encounter Technology Text Photos Steer-by-wire opens up a host of new packaging op- Johannes Köbler Myrzik und Jarisch tions and makes it possible, for instance, to place the steering box in front of a transversely mounted engine. If required, the steering wheel can also retract into the cockpit, easing vehicle entry and exit and improving safety in the event of a front-end Aluminum wishbones, electric motors front collision. In the cockpit, the elimination of the steering column and rear, bundled hi-tech in 1:1 scale – the delivers more space for components like air conditioning and technology model looks highly attractive. The most interesting gives designers greater freedom when it comes to interior design. aspects of the Audi R8 e-tron’s chassis are those parts that are According to Koch, European legislation presents no fundamen- absent – the steering column, brakes on the rear wheels, the brak- tal hurdles to steer-by-wire. At its core, it requires only self-cen- ing hydraulics and shifting mechanism. “The term ‘by-wire’ means tering and the assurance that certain steering maneuvers remain that we replace mechanical and hydraulic components with electri- possible in the event of a system failure – how the manufacturer cal and mechatronic parts, thus separating the force and signal achieves that is its own business. paths from one another,” says Peter Kunsch, Head of Advanced In brake-by-wire technology, Christian Balnus’ area of Chassis Development, who is responsible for this particular disci- expertise, there are a completely different set of conceptual mod- pline. “When we only have to transmit signals, by wire if you will, a els. Of particular interest to Audi are electromechanical wheel whole host of opportunities are opened up to us.” The A2 concept, brakes, as on the front axle of the technology model. In these so- the show car unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, was called spindle brakes, electrically actuated ball screws push the equipped with this futuristic technology. And in the latest project friction pads at high-speed onto the carbon-fiber ceramic brake – the technology model based on the R8 e-tron – the steering, discs. Wheel brakes are not required at the rear axle. “The two large brakes and gear selection function electrically. electric motors at the rear function as generators under decelera- “Steering using by-wire technology is very simple in tion,” explains Balnus. “At the rear axle, which receives relatively principle,” says Tilo Koch, who is a specialist in this field. A sensor little braking force in any car, this is more than sufficient.” on the steering wheel recognizes the turning movement; an electric Electromechanical brakes ease component packaging motor on the steering box generates the necessary force and sends at the front of the vehicle because bulky and heavy hydraulic parts it to the track rods. At the steering wheel, a small electric motor become superfluous. Inside the car, the stiff brake pedal could give generates the feedback familiar to the driver. way to a small lever or a sensor surface beneath the carpet on which “The sensitive Audi steering feel remains the same or forces are simulated.Both solutions have a positive effect in the is even better – just the unwanted vibrations from the drive and event of a collision. road surface are eliminated,” explains Koch. At the push of a but- For the customer, the new technology means rapid ton, the driver can select from a variety of steering ratios and set- feedback and precise control – in the interaction with the chassis ups, from comfortable to sporty. Networked with other systems, and assistance systems in particular this can mean an increase in steer-by-wire can carry out a great many correction and assistance safety. In electric vehicles like the R8 e-tron, an electromechanical functions, some of which are brand new. system enables perfect crossfade between energy recovery and mechanical braking. Legislation is not a problem here either – cars with electromechanical wheel brakes are road-legal as long as the power supply is set up with system redundancy. The subject of shift-by-wire, which is the specialist field of Thomas Guttenberger, features heavily in the R8 e-tron. The electrically driven high-performance sports car requires only single speed transmissions. The shift lever serves purely for the 1 selection of driving modes R, N and D. Audi has enormous experi- ence in this field of technology – the A2 1.2 TDI from 2001 used an automated manual transmission, with its hydraulic unit tak- ing its commands from electrical signals. A similar principle ap- plies to the R tronic in the Audi R8 and to the eight-speed tip- tronic in the flagship A8. Shift-by-wire provides an excellent basis for future assistance technologies like automated parking and piloted driving*.

2 3 1 Steer-by-wire – an electric motor on the steering box generates the forces. Shift-by-wire

2 Brake-by-wire – so-called spindle brakes operate On the technology model, gear selection is on the front axle. handled by electric signals alone.

3 Head of Advanced Chassis Development – Peter Kunsch works on the by-wire technology. Picture:service

58 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 59 Encounter Technology Weight CFRP in the cell CFRP components have a 17-percent Watchers share. They give the occupant cell a high degree of safety and stiffness.

New bodyshells using mixed materials 17 For Audi, lightweight design means – the minimum material in the right place for the best per- formance. It is under this premise that engineers are working on the new Multimaterial Space Frame.

Aluminum dominates At 83 percent, aluminum remains the dominant material in the experimental bodyshell of the R8. 83

60 Encounter Technology 61 Encounter Technology 1 We work in close collaboration with our colleagues in production. That is one of our particular strengths. Peter Fromm Head of Development, Vehicle Body AUDI AG

Highly precise – the CFRP woven mats are cut to shape on computer- controlled equipment.

Text Photos Peter Fromm demonstrates the new technology on an Johannes Köbler Stefan Warter ASF bodyshell from the current R8, which already features tech- Picture:service nology from the next generation. It stands in the FRP Technology Center (FRP = Fiber Reinforced Polymer), a think tank within the Audi Lightweight Design Center in Neckarsulm that was estab- lished in 2010. The front end of the R8 is built, as before, using aluminum. The inside of the passenger cabin, however, is domi- If you are at the very top of the competition, nated by dark gray – parts of the floor and sills, the center tunnel, it is not enough simply to defend your lead. the rear bulkhead, the B-pillars and the X-shaped strut in the en- You must strive to extend that lead, which means treading new gine compartment are made from CFRP. paths. Peter Fromm knows this particular challenge very well. As The new material makes up 17 percent of the bodyshell; Head of Development, Vehicle Body, his responsibilities include 14 CFRP components replace four times as many aluminum parts. aerodynamics, bodyshell and interior at AUDI AG, as well as vehicle Self-tapping stainless steel screws join the aluminum and CFRP body module management for the Volkswagen Group. components together, with adhesive and fine-seam sealant pro- Audi has held the leading position in lightweight design tecting the contact points from corrosion. for almost 20 years – aluminum bodyshells built using the ASF “It is a wonderful technology showcase,” enthuses (Audi Space Frame) technique have been setting the benchmark Peter Fromm. “At 210 kilograms, the current R8 is already a bench- since 1994. The ASF principle reduces weight against comparable mark for the competition. The next generation will be below the steel bodyshells by around 40 percent and has a technical elegance 200 kilogram mark, despite improvements in stiffness and crash that gives engineers a great deal of freedom. The jobs of the body­ safety. We use the CFRP parts where they make the most sense. The shell components – the extruded profile, the cast nodes and the rear bulkhead, for example, offers excellent protection in the event aluminum panels – are quite distinct from each other. Each com- of a side impact because its fibers have been laid exactly in the di- ponent has its own function. rection of load.” In principle, according to Fromm, Audi can use its Audi engineers are now venturing onto the next level intelligent material mix to realize bodyshells that are just as light, – the intelligent material mix. The new Multimaterial Space Frame or even lighter, than a pure CFRP occupant cell. “And when it comes can take very different forms. In the A6 and A6 Avant, for instance, to the overall energy footprint and cost to the customer, they are the steel bodyshells contain a high proportion of aluminum and a definitely far superior.” series of design solutions from ASF technology. In the high-per- For Audi, lightweight design does not mean a rigid formance sports cars, on the other hand, carbon-fiber reinforced fixation on any one material, but rather the intelligent, flexible polymer (CFRP) will play an important role in future. application of a diverse range of materials – under the premise of using the least material in the ideal location to achieve the best performance. The engineers have gathered a broad range of exper- tise in all the technical fields, resulting in a constant stream of new innovations. Examples include ultra-light suspension-strut domes made from pressure-cast magnesium, high-strength aluminum alloys and parts from thin-wall pressure-cast aluminum with a wall-thickness measuring just 2 millimeters. On the A-pillars in the A8 luxury sedan, for instance, it reduces the weight by 1.5 kilo- grams to 2.5 kilograms.

62 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 63 Encounter Technology 14 Functional integration through CFRP parts The 14 parts made from carbon-fiber reinforced polymer replace more than 50 aluminum components.

1 Machine technology – RTM press, CFRP cutting equipment – the Technical Center in Neckarsulm is perfectly equipped.

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Alongside the leading development know-how at Audi waves (OLAS = oscillating laminated absorbing structures). With 1 Strong backbone – the center tunnel is made entirely from CFRP. is its wide-ranging expertise in manufacturing. “We work closely their wave-shaped structure, they can absorb vast amounts of en- together as a team and are involved in an ongoing exchange of ergy over a very short distance and thus replace the load-bearing 2 Highly complex – the B-pillars demonstrate ideas,” explains Peter Fromm. “We discuss process technology, beams used in current vehicle structures. the geometries facilitated by CFRP. tooling technology and bonding technology like new welding solu- In intelligent lightweight design, Audi engineers tions. And we will soon begin to cast aluminum parts ourselves at have a firm eye not only on the scales, but also on the overall en- a new plant near Ingolstadt.” ergy footprint. This is why they are conducting research into low- Sound processes and lean production is a fundamental energy bodyshells made largely from secondary metals. In the requirement at Audi – that also applies to CFRP. In the Neckarsulm medium term, they are even considering innovative concepts for Lightweight Design Center is an RTM press (RTM = Resin Transfer the manufacture of epoxy resin and CFRP fibers using cellulose as Molding) with a press force of up to 1,000 tonnes. Its raw material a base material. If you want to extend your lead you have to tread takes the form of several layers of precisely cut CFRP woven mat. new paths. Epoxy resin is injected into the heated tool at a pressure of up to 100 bars. This matrix cures under heat and pressure, and eight minutes later a B-pillar is finished. “This is too long for series production,” says Fromm. “We can get that down to four minutes if we optimize the flow characteristics of the resin in the tool. We are working on that our- selves, supported by our partner Voith. We are striving to achieve a better ratio of CFRP fiber to resin without compromising the per- formance of the part. The current ratio is around 50:50, we want to get to 60:40.” Audi reversed the weight spiral years ago by system- atically applying lightweight design – in future, every new model will be lighter than its predecessor, some of them much lighter. The 180 engineers in the ALZ* in Neckarsulm are buzzing with projects and ideas. One of them is a matrix in which carbon is combined with other fibers, including natural fibers. Another is so-called OLAS

64 Encounter Technology 65 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 Networker

Experience the new assistance systems. www.encounter.audi.com

Text Photo Johannes Köbler Stefan Warter

The new driver assistance systems Audi assistance systems are already making driving more relaxed and refined. The systems of the future will be even smarter, more extensive and more powerful.

66 Encounter Technology 67 Encounter Technology Traffic Jam Assistant Intersection Assistant

For slow-moving traffic For intersections The traffic jam assistant can take the load off the driver when Anticipatory pedes- The intersection assistant has been specially developed to avoid driving is not exactly a pleasure, like in slow-moving traffic trian protection – collisions at intersections or to mitigate their consequences. in an ideal situation, for instance. At speeds of between zero and 60 km/h, the sys- Two radar sensors and a wide-angle video camera capture the Pre sense city can tem provides steering assistance within certain limits. It also avoid a collision al- area in front of the vehicle and along its sides. The radar data accelerates and decelerates autonomously. It can be used on together. plays the main role, with the camera data serving as verification. highways and in the city, too, when the road layout is not too If the sensors identify a vehicle approaching from the side, the complex. system issues warnings and information on several levels. The traffic jam assistant is based on the adaptive As a further development of the sensor-supported cruise control with Stop & Go function expanded with new lat- intersection assistant, Audi is investigating a second variant eral guidance components. Two radar sensors capture wedge- based on car-to-x communication* – on the radio contact be- shaped fields of 21 degrees each and to a distance of 250 me- tween the two possible parties to an accident. At intersections ters. A video camera with a wide aperture monitors the road known to be accident black-spots, it would also be conceivable markings; it can also recognize objects like other vehicles, pe- to install a permanent modem that takes into account the status destrians and crash barriers. Eight ultrasound sensors monitor of the traffic signal. the zones directly in front of the car and at its corners. Car-to-x technology has a number of benefits – it When the ACC* Stop & Go is switched on, the traffic functions at intersections where sensor visibility is restricted, jam assistant continuously evaluates the speed of the car and of can cover large distances and transmit vehicle-specific infor- those in the immediate vicinity. If it detects from the data a mation. The deployment of the airbags, for example, could be traffic jam at speeds of less than 60 km/h, the driver can activate based specifically on the mass of the other party. the function at the push of a button. The corridor in which the traffic jam assistant moves the car is considerably broader than the lane between the lines, enabling a degree of offset to the car in front. If it is necessary to form a rescue lane or drive around an obstacle, the system Active Emergency Brake follows the path of the car in front. The radar sensors recognize not only the vehicle in front, but also other cars in front of it, Protection at higher speed enabling the system to calculate a convoy route. When pulling For automatic emergency braking at speeds above 65 km/h, Audi away and decelerating, the traffic jam assistant behaves like the is developing a further extension of the Pre sense system*. At ACC Stop & Go and reacts to vehicles that cut in or leave the lane. its heart is a laser scanner – the particular strengths of this tech­ Radio contact – nology lie in its ability to see long distances, its high precision using car-to-x and its wide included angle. The laser also scans the area along vehicles can warn the sides of the vehicle and can thus identify structures at the each other side of the road. If there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle – at intersections. like the end of a traffic jam – the system can assess whether the driver is able to avoid a collision. If an avoidance maneuver is no longer possible, the system issues an early warning and, if necessary, applies the Pre sense city emergency brakes. The strategy enables it to reduce speed quite Easing the load – significantly and thus considerably reduce the severity of the the traffic jam accident. It can also help in situations where the driver is unable assistant is active Protection in city traffic to react himself due to a medical emergency. In certain sce- when driving is no fun. Under threat of a rear end collision many Audi models can narios, it is feasible that a braking maneuver initiated by the already brake automatically in the last few meters if the driver system will be able to avoid an accident altogether, even from a is no longer in a position to take action himself. The brand’s en- high initial speed. gineers are developing this function further. Automatic emergency braking in city traffic, known as Pre sense city* is based on a new kind of sensor technology derived from development work in which Audi was heavily in- volved. The PMD sensor (PMD = Photo Mix Detector) is a tiny chip Active Belt Buckle that can take three-dimensional measurements and thus oper- ate with far greater precision than conventional sensors. It can New solutions for restraint systems recognize both driving and stationary targets and remains active Audi is also working continuously on the development of re- in the dark, rain or strong sunlight. straint systems. One new feature could be active belt buckles Under threat of a rear end collision at speeds of up for rear-seat passengers operated via small electric motors. to 65 km/h, Pre sense city warns the driver with a short braking When the rear door is opened, the active belt buckle rises a few impulse. If he does not react, the system applies the full force centimeters, enabling the passenger to fasten the belt with of the brakes around one second prior to impact, thus lowering ease before it then retracts to its resting position. Under threat the collision speed by up to 30 km/h. of a collision, it retracts a little further, thus tightening the Another important function is anticipatory pedes- belt. This sequence is reversible. trian protection; the PMD sensor recognizes them at a distance As a general principle, Audi wants to network the of up to 20 meters. If it identifies a risky situation, the system adaptive restraint system more closely with its new assistance decides whether an emergency braking maneuver is necessary. technologies. Forward-looking sensors like PMD diodes* can If so, full braking also ideally occurs around one second prior to detect an imminent collision usually several seconds before it impact. The maximum possible speed reduction of 30 km/h occurs, and at the same time assess the speed and size of the means that, in some cases, the car can even come to a halt in other party. The activation of the adaptive belt force limiter and time. The anticipatory Pre sense technology* also provides very the adaptive front airbags then occurs in accordance with this

good protection for cyclists. Communication sxces Illustrations: information.

68 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 69 Encounter Technology Piloted Parking

More comfort in everyday use Narrow perpendicular parking spots, garages with bicycles in them – often things get so tight that the driver has trouble get- ting out of the car. The Parkpilot could solve these problems. With the technology that is currently installed in an Audi prototype, the driver can leave the car in front of the garage and issue the instruction to park itself via remote control key or smartphone. The car steers itself with the help of its ultrasound sensors into the parking space or garage. If it identifies obsta- Warning when opening doors cles, it comes to an immediate stop. When it reaches its end position, it switches off the engine, deactivates the ignition and More safety on exiting the car locks the doors. Finally, it sends a confirmation to the driver. The exit warning, too, makes use of the Audi side assist radar sensors – it is a major help when exiting the car in situations of poor visibility. When the driver or a passenger wants to open the door, the sensors check whether another vehicle or cyclist approaching from behind is dangerously close and traveling at Warning, cyclist – a critical speed. the radar sensors The warning issued in this situation can be a bright monitor the road be- light in the door, accompanied by an acoustic signal. Tactile hind the car. warnings are also being investigated – like all assistance sys- Parking – tems of the future, Audi will decide on the correct solution at the driver sends the appropriate time. the car into the garage at the touch of a button.

Attention, other vehicles – the system warns of danger when opening the door.

Getting out of a park- ing spot – the car maneuvers itself back out again.

Accident avoidance In the ongoing development of driver assis- tance systems, Audi is pursuing a major target – a car so intelligent that it can avoid accidents altogether.

Warning when reversing out of parking space

Merging into traffic Reversing out of a parking spot can often be tricky – when the driv- er cannot see the traffic flow behind him, he has to edge his way carefully into the road. The warning when reversing out of a parking space, another solution from Audi, makes this process easier. The system uses the two radar sensors from Audi side assist at the back of the vehicle. They measure and interpret the distance, the speed and the predicted route of the vehicles crossing

Illustrations: sxces Communication sxces Illustrations: behind. Any forecast risk of collision is displayed to the driver.

70 Encounter Technology 71 Encounter Technology The Strong Silent Type

Acoustic technology combats annoying noise In the interest of efficiency, the new 4.0 TFSI from Audi runs some of the time on four cylinders. Two sophisticated tech- nologies keep annoying noise and vibration away from the passengers.

Active noise control – the ANC in the Audi S7 Sportback cancels out annoying noise using counter-sound (see graphic above). The result is an acoustically peaceful interior (below).

72 Encounter Technology 73 Encounter Technology Text Photos In the new Audi S8, the engine and transmission are Active engine mounts Johannes Köbler Stefan Warter mounted at five points – on three transmission mounts, two of which are switchable, and the two new active engine mounts. Cast Vibrating coil actuator counters aluminum supports are used, which are both lightweight and ex- tremely stiff. vibrations The Audi technology for this type of active engine mount is another world first. It takes advantage of a fundamen- tal principle of physics – that of destructive interference. When two waves of the same frequency are overlaid, they cancel out each other’s amplitudes – as long as the amplitudes are the same and Cutaway model Technical showpiece – the phases are offset by 180 degrees. Torsten Kolkhorst with a cutaway 1 Fluid chamber model of the active mount. A drive in the new Audi S8 is a joy for all the At the heart of the active engine mount is an electro- 2 Membrane ring senses, and that includes the ears. Under magnetic vibrating coil actuator* with a 60 Watt output that oper- 3 Coil moderate acceleration, the powerful 4.0 TFSI with its 382 kW (520 ates like a loudspeaker. Its rapid movements – up to 1 millimeter 4 Permanent magnet hp) runs extremely quietly – even though, for some of the time, only of lift between 25 and 250 Hertz – are transmitted via a rubber four of its eight cylinders are active. The driver is informed about membrane into the mount’s hydraulic fluid, which also absorbs cylinder deactivation via a text display in the instrument panel – it the engine vibrations. Within the fluid, the vibrations overlay one is certainly nothing that can be heard. another and cancel each other out. The outcome is peace and calm Audi’s new cylinder-on-demand technology reduces at the support fixing point. the fuel consumption of the biturbo V8 in the NEDC* by around five The control unit for the active engine mount receives percent, and by even more in many everyday situations. Under low its information from two sources, as Stephan Römling explains. load, it is active between 960 and 3,500 r/min. This broad span “The crankshaft sensor delivers information on engine speed, could only be realized because Audi has implemented a sophisti- from which the software calculates the precise phase and frequen- cated array of acoustic initiatives in its new large S models – they cy required from the actuator signal. We have placed accelerom- prevent annoying noise and vibrations generated during V4 opera- eters on the engine mounts themselves. They provide the data tion from being heard or felt in the interior. Resulting from the that determine the required amplitude, thus creating a closed 1 main exciters of the second engine order and their multiples, they control circuit.” lie in the frequency range between 32 and around 233 Hertz. Despite the active mounts, there is still plenty of engine All vibrations generated by a car engine make their way noise coming into the interior of the S8 – the rest of the indirect along various paths into the interior. Some are transmitted direct- airborne noise, the direct airborne noise generated by combustion ly through the air while some are conveyed through the bodyshell in the engine and the intake and exhaust port noise. Here in the as structure-borne sound – via the engine mounts and the fixtures interior, Audi eliminates the annoying frequency components 2 for the steering wheel, prop shaft, axle shafts and exhaust system. in V4 operation with a second new technology, Active noise control Radiated by the panels, this structure-borne sound becomes au- (ANC). dible in the interior as indirect airborne noise. The transmission path from the engine mounts is where the work begins for Torsten Kolkhorst, Stephan Römling and Stefan Vollmann. It comes from a wealth of experience – Audi has long 4 held the philosophy of mounting its engines in a manner that deliv- 3 ers sporty stiffness and comfort at the same time. The 1977 Audi 100 was the first car in the world to be equipped with hydraulic mounts; the 1989 Audi 100 TDI saw the debut of a further innova- tion in the form of switchable hydraulic mounts, as still used today in many models. When the engine is idling, they eliminate annoying vibrations with gentle characteristics; the degree of damping in- creases while driving in order to suppress driveline vibrations.

Components – Stefan Vollmann (above) presents the engine mount, Stephan Römling the control unit.

Active noise Without ANC – annoying noise in V4 operation is control found primarily in the front part of the interior.

74 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 75 Encounter Technology off

Without ANC – annoying noises in four-cylinder operation appear in red. on

With ANC – the entire interior of the Audi S7 Sportback is acoustically calmed.

Measurement – Detlef Kosanke with an Audi S7 Sportback on the noise test bed.

Detail work – Marc Burghardt installing measuring equipment in the interior.

ANC, the specialty of Marc Burghardt, Detlef Kosanke and Dr. Erich Steinacker also functions on the principle of noise cancellation. Burghardt explains the technology: “We have built four microphones into the headliner. Each of them logs the sound The professionals of silence – base in its area. The control unit uses these signals to calculate a (from l to r) Detlef Kosanke, Dr. Erich Steinacker and Marc Burghardt in the sound lab. spatial sound field. It also receives key information about engine speed from the crankshaft sensor. In all zones in which annoying larly quickly and precisely. A more straightforward task, on the Active noise control noise is detected, it plays a suitable counter-noise via the amplifier other hand, is presented by idling. Here – and under higher load – of the sound system. It is transmitted via the four woofers in the the engine always operates with all eight cylinders, where it pro- Elimination of doors and via the sub-woofer in the parcel shelf.” duces fourth-order excitations. These, too, are compensated by the Active noise control functions in the zone between 32 two systems. annoying frequencies and 243 Hertz. The calming effect achieved is the same throughout Active noise control and the active engine mounts are the interior – regardless of where a passenger sits, and whether he/ just two of several new technologies that Audi is using to refine the she bends over or leans to the side. This guarantees that the control sound experience. A few models use a sound actuator located be- remains stable in all situations and can react quickly to changes. neath the windshield. The structure-borne noise that it generates The ANC is always active – whether the sound system is switched is transmitted via the bodyshell and the windshield into the cabin, on or off, or the volume turned up or down. Not until a passenger intensifying the sporty engine sound. The new 3.0 TDI with 230 kW opens a door does it switch off. (313 hp) is equipped with an active sound exhaust – a loudspeaker The greatest challenge for the Active noise control – in a secondary exhaust line emits targeted sound waves. Using a and for the active engine mounts, too – is in the switching process modulation process, it overlays typical exhaust sounds with a pre- that transforms the 4.0 TFSI back from four to eight-cylinder op- defined vibration pattern, underscoring the power delivery of the eration. This is where both technologies have to function particu- 3.0 TDI Biturbo with a well-rounded sound base.

76 Encounter Technology 77 Encounter Technology Intelligent Light Audi continues to expand its leading role in light technology. The A2 concept show car presents the latest stage in the evolution – intelligent lighting. Light Work

Indicating Bright signal when the Audi A2 concept’s indicators are activated, Experience the innovative light technology of the Audi A2 concept in action. an entire band of light illuminates along the flank. www.encounter.audi.com

78 Encounter Technology 79 Encounter Technology Braking A matter of safety under braking, dynamic light sends a red light frontward.

80 Encounter Technology 81 Encounter Technology Entry Text Photos The band of light makes contact with the driver even Christian Günthner Robin Wink before he steps in – when he approaches the A2 concept it is acti- dynamic light illuminates in pale blue vated on recognition of the approaching key and glows in a subtle to greet the driver. shade of blue. When the driver comes a few steps closer, the light gathers around the door handles, which are recessed into the body. Cesar Muntada is certain that this idea offers major benefits, espe- cially at night. “A short hand movement, a light swipe across the light is all it takes to unlock the car – like with a smartphone. The door handles fold out and the driver can simply open the door as normal.” The visual continues in the interior – the Audi dynamic light runs in two separate arcs from the doors to the cockpit area. On entry it, too, illuminates in pale blue. As soon as the car is ready to drive, the band of light switches off and the central display changes. Despite the absence of engine sound – due to the electric drive – the driver immediately recognizes that he can drive away. Alongside the interaction with the driver, development engineers placed a great deal of emphasis on intelligent solutions in road traffic. The technologies of Audi connect facilitate contact with other vehicles, while sensors evaluate the area around the A2 As tiny as a grain of sand and almost invisi- concept in order to identify other individuals, such as cyclists or ble to the naked eye. Although it could eas- pedestrians. Audi dynamic light plays a key role in this concept, too. ily be brushed aside with just one wave of the hand, it electrifies the “Our new light communicates with the environment of experts. You see, this tiny speck of material can generate more the car and makes driving safer with a range of different functions,” white light from electrical energy than any other conventional light explains Muntada, who was born in Spain and has worked for Audi source on the face of the earth – a light-emitting diode. LEDs are since 2007. “When indicating or braking, the moving light travels unbeatable in their efficiency, and now they are delivering even from front to back or vice versa depending on the function and re- more capabilities to Audi engineers – dynamism and intelligence. mains visible to all road users.” The more heavily the driver brakes, Audi was the first automaker in the world to recognize the faster the red pulses in the band of light move from back to the full potential of LED technology and to make it usable for ve- front – an important indicator for other road users, who can recog- hicle development. The success story began in February 2005 at nize immediately the extent of the deceleration. the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where Audi When the driver of the A2 activates the indicator, a yel- presented the Pikes Peak quattro concept study. The full-size SUV, low pulse of light runs along the entire length of the vehicle’s flank, which previewed the later Audi Q7, fascinated onlookers with fog showing in all directions where the driver intends to steer. Inside lamps equipped with high-performance light-emitting diodes. the car, this feature is complemented by a warning light function Audi developed a whole new lighting concept from – Audi dynamic light illuminates brightly when an object is in the this first use of LEDs – at the very top of the evolution ladder is the blind spot, thus warning against a risky lane change or turning A2 concept. On its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the show car maneuver. surprised visitors with a new LED feature – its intelligent light. Cesar Muntada describes the character of the A2 con- In its headlamps and rear lights, the A2 concept presents the cept thus, “We had a range of new possibilities, not just on the ground-breaking Matrix Beam Technology. It also features Audi exterior, but in the interior, too. Thanks to by-wire technology, dynamic light, a band of light that runs around all four sides of i.e. fully electric steering and shifting, the steering column and the bodyshell. Development engineers and designers used it to classic center console have become superfluous. That allowed us achieve the very first 360-degree light experience. to concentrate our design work on the key elements, the essence When seen in the rear view mirror, the A2 concept is, of the car.” like every Audi, immediately recognizable. “The daytime running When the A2 concept enters series production it will be light is designed as an open-top figure with a dynamic flow that equipped with dynamic light. With it, Audi will once more enrich runs inward,” is how Cesar Muntada, Head of Exterior Design for with new functions the role played by light. The brand brought LED Product Identity, describes the eyes of the A2 concept. The Matrix technology to the roads, making it a signature feature. Now, devel- Beam light, made from a bundle of small LEDS arranged on top of opment engineers are making light even more intelligent and, as one another, provides optimum road illumination in bends and at a result, traffic even safer. intersections. It also interacts with other road users – in the face of oncoming traffic it adapts the beam and reduces luminosity by Teamwork – Cesar Muntadas (right), switching off individual parts of the high beam. Head of Exterior Design Product Identity The rear lights, too, have been structured intelligently and the Audi A2 concept design team. like the Matrix Beam Technology, adapting their luminosity to suit Cornering the prevailing conditions. Via a sensor, the system recognizes the quality of visibility; in the event of heavy rain or fog it increases The yellow light pulse runs along brightness. This has the effect of avoiding that the vehicle behind the entire length of the vehicle. follows too closely because the driver doesn’t want to lose sight of the barely visible lights of the vehicle in front. “The rear fog lamps also have a brand new feature for bad weather conditions,” explains Muntada. “Their five laser lights hit water particles in the air to create a red triangle – a clearly visible warning.” While the Matrix Beam is subtly integrated into the headlamps, the Audi dynamic light is positioned directly beneath the tornado line and immediately apparent at first glance. The band of light, just a few centimeters high and black when in standby mode, provides an intelligent connection between the front and rear lights. The dynamic light underscores the lines of the Audi A2 concept and adds to its sporty character.

82 Encounter Technology 83 Encounter Technology Text Photos Ball of light Johannes Köbler Benjamin Maerzke Simply Red Audi development engineers have a host of ideas for vehicle lighting. One of them is MID technology, which enables light sources in any form imaginable.

An interview with Stephan Berlitz is some- thing very special. The Head of Innovation for Light Technology and Light Electronics at Audi is a man that simply radiates with enthusiasm for his subject; that speaks with true passion of new ideas and projects. Audi is the leading brand in automotive lighting technology; Berlitz and his team want to ex- pand this position even further. One new technology from Audi bears the acronym MID; 1 it stands for “moulded interconnected devices”. The new compo- nents unlock the third dimension of lighting technology – they make it possible to develop and produce lights in any desired form. MID technology is based on a new kind of polymer that incorporates an organic metal complex compound. In the first step, the desired form is created using an injection molding process. In the second step, a laser traces the circuit diagram onto the work- piece, vaporizing the top layer of polymer. This exposes the Metalli­ zation nuclei, which attract metals. The third step is the galvanizing process where conductive paths are created; the layer is thick enough to supply power to LEDs. The first result of MID technology at Audi is a ball of light around 15 centimeters in diameter. “Doesn’t it look great?” asks Stephan Berlitz. “And it feels like a worry stone.” Made from 2 two hemispheres with multiple perforations, the ball contains 52 LEDs. The new technology still has to prove itself under the kind of loads it will be exposed to in a car. But Berlitz is already fired up about the enormous freedom offered by the MID principle. “Our colleagues in design are having great fun with this.” Another field of technology being addressed by light development engineers at Audi is OLED technology. The acronym stands for “organic light emitting diode”. In contrast to current LEDs, which are made from semi-conductor crystals, these use an organic material. The paste-like substance is deposited in a super- thin layer measurable in micrometers on an extremely flat surface. When an electric current is applied, the molecules sealed into the paste emit photons – the surface illuminates. Depending on the distribution of the current, this occurs homogenously, with a tar- geted effect of light and dark or with dynamic movement.

1 Historic – the rear lights of a DKW 3=6 Cabriolet. Classic lighting technology of the 50s.

2 Futuristic – the MID light orb, made from a new kind of polymer, contains 52 LEDs.

84 Encounter Technology 85 Encounter Technology Diesel from bacteria

Renewable energies are high on the list of Magazine priorities in many fields of research. Of particular im- portance are regenerative fuels. At the Joint BioEnergy Institute in California, microbes have been bred from Only those who look beyond their own the Escherichia coli bacteria and yeast, producing horizons can evaluate and build on their own progress. hydrocarbons from vegetable sugars. This compound is similar to crude oil and represents an alternative Technology news from around the world. to diesel. The first microbes that can produce bio- diesel are currently undergoing a test phase, after which they will be brought to market maturity.

For further information see www.jbei.org/fuels-synthesis coli

Metal like air

One thousand times thinner than a human hair, one hundred times lighter than polystyrene. Al- most as light as air, and built like the Eiffel Tower – the world’s lightest metal structure. It can absorb thrusts of energy and enormous pressure. Its regular mesh structure makes it more durable than existing ultra- light materials. Researchers compare this structure to steel constructions such as the Eiffel Tower. For its production, they coated a photopoly- Escherichia-coli bacteria produce hydrocarbons. mer template with a nickel-phosphorous alloy and then etched the carrier polymer out – the lightest metal © picture-allianc/dpa/Universität Groningen © picture-allianc/dpa/Universität structure in the world is made from ultra-fine tubes. It Nano quattro SmartBird could be used for sound absorption or ultra-light elec- tronics components.

A development team at Groningen Uni- Fly, as light as a bird – the SmartBird from versity in Holland has built the smallest car in the Festo can do this. Engineers at the manufacturer of world. It is nothing more than a molecule that can drive control and automation technology have managed to with the help of motors, a carrier and electricity. The decode the natural principle of flying. SmartBird is a four motors that are mounted on the carrier serve as model based on the herring gull made from carbon driving wheels. fiber and polyurethane foam. The bionic prototype can Nano comes from ‘nannos’ the ancient take off on its own, fly and land – without an additional Greek word for dwarf, and refers to a billionth of a unit drive. When flying, SmartBird’s wings beat not only of measurement. The tiny car measures just one nano- up and down, but also make specific rotary movements. meter and is therefore smaller than one 50,000th of SmartBird is one meter long, has a wing- a strand of hair. The all-wheel-drive molecule “drives” span of two meters and weighs 450 grams. In its rump in a straight line along a copper surface, powered by are a battery, motor and gearbox, as well as a cranking Nano all-wheel drive electric car – four motors are electricity from a microscope. For the development en- fixed to one axle and serve as wheels. mechanism and control electronics. This is lightweight gineers, the nano-car is the foundation stone for re- design taken to its natural conclusion. search into complex molecular mechanical systems with directionally controlled movement. Perhaps in future this knowledge will lead to nano-machines being For further information see www.festo.com/bionik able to carry out work on a molecular level.

For further information see www.nature.com HRL Laboratories

The perfect combination of nature and technology: The lightest metal structure in the world on a dandelion.

For further information see www.hrl.com

Festo AG Inspired by nature – the SmartBird in action.

86 Encounter TechnologyNano 87 Encounter Technology New operation and display concepts Tomorrow’s world of operating controls is packed with exciting possibilities. Audi is bringing them into the car – in a manner that eases the load on the driver, not adds to it.

1 Contact analogue head-up display – the navigation arrow seems to lie on the road.

2 Freely programmable instrument panel – 1 a high degree of flexibility for the preferred display content.

3 Second screen – in future, the content for driver and passenger can be more clearly separated.

2 3 Text Photos Many Audi technologies already make driving more re- Johannes Köbler Picture:service laxed and refined. They include the head-up display that allows the Stefan Warter driver to keep his eyes on the road at almost all times. All key infor- mation appears to float around two to three meters in front of the windshield, directly in his field of vision. The next generation of head-up display takes another step forward – it appears to position the displays in the real environ- ment. Bernhard Senner, the Audi engineer responsible, explains: “When I have the navigation system switched on and approach an intersection, I see the transparent direction arrow superimposed exactly on the intersection. It is small to begin with, but gets bigger when I come within 50 meters. It appears to come toward me, just like the intersection. At 10 meters distance it looks as big as an actual arrow on the road, and it stays that way.” The story is set in the near future. A man, So-called contact analogue head-up displays will be let’s call him Mr. K., has flown from Munich able to do even more. In hilly landscapes, the navigation arrow to Hamburg. At the rental car desk he is handed the key to the Audi shows the direction that the road takes over the crest of the hill. If that he previously reserved on submitting his personal driver the driver is traveling with adaptive cruise control, the distance to profile. The car greets Mr. K. with exceptional politeness. The elec- the vehicle in front is clearly displayed. If the navigation system is trically adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel are positioned active and a pedestrian steps into the road, the system gives a clear for his body size, the climate control set to his preferences. The indication of distance and direction. navigation system suggests as a destination the company that Mr. The new technology presents plenty of challenges ac- K. wants to visit. The audio system downloads his favorite music cording to Senner. “For projection, we are shifting up to DLP tech- from the data cloud on the internet and the MMI monitor shows nology* (DLP = digital light processing), which offers more contrast the news sources that he regularly reads. and brightness. The area on the windshield that we use for projec- The fully networked operating world of tomorrow is tion is positioned a little higher than at present and is about the packed with new possibilities. Audi engineers want to put them into size of an iPad. The two aspheric mirrors in the device have to be the car – and in such a way that they take the load off the driver, not more precise as a result. They enlarge the image and direct it onto add to it. Dr. Werner Hamberger, Head of Development, Operating the windshield, while correcting the distortion that would other- Concepts formulates the task thus: “Operating a car should be in- wise be caused by their curved form.” tuitive and fun. Only then have we achieved our most important For Dr. Werner Hamberger, the new head-up displays target – that the driver concentrates on driving, without distrac- are an attractive future technology, but only one of many. The Head tion. This applies especially to online connections, something that of Development, Operating Concepts is already thinking about is increasingly important to our customers.” large display bands that run around the cockpit at the base of the

Head-up Display

We place the displays apparently into reality. This makes them clearer and immediately under- standable at first glance. Bernhard Senner

Bernhard Senner, Development Controls/Displays/Illumination.

90 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 91 Encounter Technology Great freedom – freely programmable instruments can have different “skins” – all are clearly legible.

Instrument panel

We can incorporate very attractive graphics and animation effects. All images will clearly convey one thing – the premium quality of Audi. windshield, about individual display surfaces for the passenger, Robert Kolar, Robert Kolar about the next generation of voice control systems for online func- Head of Development, Instrument Panels. tions and about freely programmable instrument panels. Robert Kolar is responsible for this technology. The digital display that will occupy the space of the current analogue would prefer to see music titles, lists of radio stations, the on-board The keyword “studies” also plays an important role in All the electrical operating elements are put on test in dials is a 12.3-inch TFT monitor. “The rapid progress in the field of computer display or rather the navigation destination, energy flow the work carried out by Johann Schneider. There is an ongoing need the haptics lab and are objectively measured with regards to their microelectronics and display technology is facilitating the high- in hybrid drive or detail information from the assistance systems.” to check the acceptance of the electrical operating elements de- haptics and acoustics. Do the controls for the air conditioning run quality reproduction of a variety of graphics that can also be en- Audi will design the visual surface of the digital instru- veloped by his team. In customer clinics and internal evaluation as smoothly as the rotary/push control? Are the actuation forces hanced with light, mirror and animation effects,” says Kolar. ment panel – the “skin” – in accordance with the character of the sessions in which employees from a variety of disciplines assess the the same for both parts? Do the acoustics of all the components “Three-dimensional vehicles that are stored in the system as data respective models – in the R8 it will be highly dynamic, in the A8, components from a customer viewpoint, the operating feel is match? How do the surfaces feel – cool, smooth, premium? “Touch- models can provide the driver with an impressive degree of assis- more stately. A car could also come with several “skins”, between classified and evaluated. “It is from these evaluations, objective sensitive input surfaces present new challenges when it comes tance. In short – we will offer classic Audi qualities in all areas.” which the driver can switch depending on his mood. All of these measurements and our experience that we develop the Audi hap- to surface haptics and durability in wear and finish. We are con- The key strength of the freely programmable instru- features will be structured in a logical and user-friendly way; tic,” says Schneider. “For the rotary/push control on the MMI we stantly on the lookout for new premium and sturdy materials,” ment panel is its high degree of flexibility. Robert Kolar: “A lot of graphics that would distract too much from driving are taboo. To have defined the term ‘Audi click’ – a sound of just a few millisec- says Schneider. things can be shown and combined on the display surface. We can guarantee straightforward operation, Audi engineers are working onds duration that expresses the precision and premium quality For Dr. Werner Hamberger, the touchpad is the high- display speed with a classic tachometer scale, digitally or as a bar with experts from the world of science and conducting user trials of the brand. It evokes the click of a safe and reflects our premium way to the future. “We were the first to put it into a car. At the time, graph*. The driver has the opportunity to decide for himself if he and surveys. standards.” we cracked open the door into a new operating world. Now we are

92 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 93 Encounter Technology Future touchpad development Almost all of the operating steps – integration into the cap of Audi urban concept controls are on the steering wheel – the rotary/push control (left), the Audi urban concept. large surface with small keys (below).

When it comes to the development of new operating concepts, the brand with the four rings thinks in many different directions. The Audi urban concept, a show car from the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, presents one spe- cific idea – it has virtually no buttons on the instrument panel. The steering column of the innovative 1+1-seater lies freely in space – it has a strong profile and an elegant design, mounted almost horizontally and highly adjustable. The steering wheel, small and hexagonal, features buttons and rollers as oper- ating controls; it also serves to control the electric drive program. A display directly in front of the driver presents all the important information. The cabin offers space for two people sitting slightly offset next to each other. The roof slides open and can stay open while driving. In parallel to this bodyshell variant, Audi has also developed an open-top spyder. The Audi urban concept technology study was con- ceived as a vehicle for modern, lifestyle-oriented people that live in urban areas. Thanks to Audi ultra-lightweight design, the elec- tric-drive show car weighs just 480 kilograms – it brings the ele- ments of a race car, a roadster, a fun car and a city car together into a radical new concept. It is concentrated on the pure essence of driving. The outer skin of the Audi urban concept is made from The Audi click is a sound of just a few carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP)*, the passenger cabin from milliseconds that expresses Audi precision. a mix of CFRP monocoque and aluminum structure. The free-stand- Johann Schneider ing 21-inch wheels are guided by wishbones made likewise from aluminum and CFRP. The springs and dampers are conceived in pushrod technology*, while four discs handle the braking function. The lithium-ion battery is mounted transversely behind the seats and stores 7.1 kWh of energy. Both electric motors be- tween the rear wheels produce a combined continual output of 15 Haptics kW (20 hp) and 47 Nm of torque. The range based on the European driving cycle is 73 km.

The young Audi for city people the Audi urban concept appeals to a Johann Schneider, lifestyle-oriented, urban audience – as does its Head of Development, Operating Controls. operating concept.

opening it even farther.” Audi will soon be putting a new evolution Dr. Werner Hamberger, into series production – the cap of the rotary/push control has a Head of Development, Operating Concepts. touch-sensitive surface that could conceivably be used for gesture control as on a smartphone. Audi is also planning further steps. The larger models that offer sufficient space on their center tunnels could be equipped with a large touchpad that integrates all functions. This We organize operation to make it intuitive would dispense with the physical operating elements. Functions could be controlled using gestures or via a new haptic approach. and fun. This is how we ensure that the driver Tiny mechatronic sensor actuators beneath the surface react to can operate the vehicle without distraction. touch; they move and deliver feedback to the fingers. The user can Dr. Werner Hamberger literally feel his way through all the operating steps, and will never have to take his eyes off the road because every entry is fol- lowed by an acoustic confirmation. Intelligent, intuitive, safe – Audi will continue to set the benchmark in the field of operating controls. Operation

94 Encounter Technology 95* See glossary,Encounter p. 142 Technology Text Photos The Layered Look Christine Maukel Benjamin Maerzke

Bringing nature into the car – a great chal- lenge for Audi designers; especially when this symbiosis is supposed to have a warm and homely appeal. With the layered oak veneer that was first unveiled 2009 in Detroit in the Audi A7 Sportback show car, the designers found the perfect solution – light wood interspersed with fine black lines to give the interior an exclusive yacht look. Now, two years later, the creative types at Audi are following this with the next generation of layered wood. “WoodAluBeaufort” is the name of the new variant, whereby tulip- wood veneer is dyed black and combined with aluminum. The com- bination of these materials gives the interior a sporty and elegant character. Five to six sheets of veneer and a thin sheet of aluminum 3 are glued in alternating layers to form a block. Individual sheets of technical veneer are then cut from this block like slices of bread. This extremely demanding task is done by hand because the differ- ent pressures required to cut wood and aluminum call for a very delicate touch. 1 The raw materials – thin sheets of wood and aluminum. The unusual material combination of the new dark lay- ered wood variant combines natural elements with dynamic char- 2 The interim product – a solid block of acter. It is available for the Audi S4, the Audi S5, the Audi S6 and both materials glued together. the Audi S7 Sportback. 3 The end result – technical veneer in an uncompromising Audi finish.

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96 Encounter Technology 97 Encounter Technology 8 Rapid Acceleration 98 382 kW (520hp) and650Nmoftorque. cylinders are active. Together theyproduce upto The S8driverhitsthegas. Nowalleight Encounter Technology

Illustrationen: sxces Communication 1.8 TFSI boastsawholebundleofinnovations. The new4.0 TFSI comeswiththecylinder-on-demand system,whilethe

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Encounter Technology Half Better by

Audi’s enginesare becomingincreasingly variable. Engine technologyatAudi

Constant Driving Text Johannes Köbler The S8 is running under low load. The cylinder-on-demand system deactivates cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8, reducing fuel consumption by several percent. 20 years ago the car engine was still a per- fect example of rhythmic unity. Its moving parts and its ancillaries may well have operated at different speeds, but always to the same beat – aside, of course, from variable timing control on the inlet side. Today, this fixed order no longer exists. “We are setting up large areas of our engines for variable operation to be better able to fulfill fluctuating usage requirements,” says Axel Eiser, Head of Development for Engine Systems at Audi. Be it in valve actuation, thermal management, turbocharger or pumps 4 – needs-based intelligent solutions are contributing to increased performance combined with decreased fuel consumption. Audi’s latest, major development in the field of vari- ability is the cylinder-on-demand system in the new large S models – based on the Audi valve lift system (AVS) that regulates valve lift in two stages. Under low to medium load, the 4.0 TFSI – a newly developed, potent bi-turbo V8 – operates temporarily as a V4, whereby the system deactivates cylinders 2, 3, 5, and 8. To do so, it first closes the exhaust valves before deactivating ignition and injection. In the active cylinders 1, 4, 6 and 7, the operating points shift to higher loads and efficiency increases. The new technology reduces fuel consumption in the NEDC* by 5 percent. At moderate speeds in higher gears – such as on highways with speed limits, which is the general rule abroad – the benefit can increase to more than ten percent. As soon as the driver hits the gas, the V8 switches back to full engine operation in hundredths of a second.

We are making the operation of our engines variable across a wide range of areas to be better able to fulfill fluctuating usage requirements. Axel Eiser Head of Development, Engine Systems Illustrations: sxces Communication sxces Illustrations:

100 Encounter Technology 101 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 “Cylinder-on-demand technology is a highly interesting Stop Audi S8 solution for spark-ignition engines that results in substantial reductions in fuel consumption. It is a new, intelligent form of The start-stop system switches off the engine Data downsizing, although I would prefer to use the term ‘rightsizing’,” entirely when the car is at a standstill. Together with cylinder-on-demand, this technology Displacement 3,993 cm³ says Axel Eiser. “There are now sensible limits for the reduction of reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 24 grams per km. Power 382 kW (520 hp) displacement. For us, rightsizing is the adjustment of displace- Torque 650 Nm from 1,700 to 5,500 r/min ment and active cylinder number to suit road resistance and mar- 0–100 km/h 4.2 s ket-specific conditions.” Top speed 250 km/h Audi is accompanying cylinder deactivation in the new Consumption 10.2 l/100 km large S models with sophisticated acoustic initiatives. Thanks to CO₂ emissions 237 g/km active engine mounts and active noise control (ANC), the V8 sounds velvety smooth and highly cultivated in the interior in four-cylinder operation, too (see also page 76). Another form of sound tuning is presented by the new 3.0 TDI with 230 kW (313 hp). Through the targeted reinforcement of individual frequency components, the 0 mighty V6 diesel is given a mellow, full-bodied sound. The driver can influence the sound on several levels via the Audi drive select system – a further new form of variability. “We are thinking intensively about the issue of sound,” says Audi’s engine systems boss. “We are discussing the bandwidth of the sound experience, which will soon extend to the electric car. We surely won’t be offering our customers just one solution there, but rather a selection to suit individual preferences.”

We bring heat to the place where it minimizes friction, and release it to the outside air at the latest possible stage via the radiator. Axel Eiser Head of Development, Engine Systems Illustrations: sxces Communication sxces Illustrations:

102 Encounter Technology 103 Encounter Technology 1 Highly variable – the intake layout with the 1 3 The higher temperatures in the combustion chambers two injection systems and valve drive. of the new 1.8 TFSI set new challenges for the engineers when it came to cooling the spark plugs and exhaust valves. Axel Eiser 2 Flexible – the new rotary disc valve module manages the flow of coolant. explains, “We integrated the exhaust manifold into the cylinder head, where water circulates around it, reducing the temperature of the exhaust gas. This saves us from enriching the mix at higher loads and delivers considerable consumption benefits, particu- Audi A4 1.8 TFSI larly with a sportier driving style. Nevertheless, the exhaust in the turbocharger is still 980 degrees Celsius. To ensure that the turbine Data housing can cope, it is made from cast steel, while, for the turbine Displacement 1,798 cm³ itself we are using a new alloy. The new electric wastegate offers Power 125 kW (170 hp) us faster and more precise adjustment, which mainly benefits Torque 320 Nm from 1,400 to 3,700 r/min torque levels when pulling away.” 0–100 km/h 8.1 s When it comes to thermal management, too, the new Top speed 230 km/h four-cylinder achieves a high degree of variability in an innovative 2 Consumption 5.7 l/100 km manner – two rotary disc valves assembled in one module and CO₂ emission 134 g/km driven via a worm gear by an electric motor regulate coolant flow. One of its most important tasks is to bring the engine up to tem- Variability – this keyword is also the headline for Audi’s perature as quickly as possible after cold start in order to minimize second engine newcomer, the 1.8 TFSI. The four-cylinder with the the period of increased friction. To this end, the cooling water re- internal reference 888 has now achieved a third level of evolu- mains stationary in the engine block for an initial period to acceler- tion and makes its entrance in the facelifted A4/A5 family. Its ate the heating up of the cylinder walls. During this phase, interior vital statistics – 125 kW (170 hp) of output and 320 Nm, the latter heating is derived from the cylinder heads via a self-sustaining being constant from 1,400 to 3,700 r/min – place it right in the pump. After some time, the water in the engine block is also circu- middle of Audi’s engine lineup, but its fuel consumption indicates lated and the excess heat delivered in a targeted manner to the its special position elsewhere. In the A4 Sedan it consumes just engine oil heat exchanger and then to the transmission oil heat 5.7 liters per 100 kilometers, a CO₂ equivalent of 134 grams per exchanger. kilometer. The new engine, which weighs little more than 130 ki- The new rotary disc valve module can manage the water lograms, already fulfills the requirements of the Euro 6 standard temperature depending on load and engine speed between 107 that does not come into effect until 2014. “We have brought to- (partial load) and 85 degrees Celsius (full load) to achieve the best gether a whole host of technical goodies in the new 888,” sums up possible compromise between minimal internal friction and igni- Axel Eiser. “We are combining direct FSI injection and 200 bar rail tion for optimum efficiency. “We have created an optimum warm- pressure with indirect injection, thus bringing together the best of up strategy,” says Eiser. “We bring heat, wherever possible, to the both worlds. Thanks to this dual injection, we are able to make the place where it minimizes friction, and release it to the outside air mix preparation more variable. Under low load, inlet manifold in- at the latest possible stage via the radiator.” jection delivers a benefit in fuel consumption because it results in In the mid-term, Eiser and his team are thinking of fewer charge cycle losses. Both camshafts are adjustable and we ways to recover heat and flow energy from the exhaust gas. The can vary the lift of the exhaust valves with AVS. In order to release technologies for that are currently at the pre-development stage. all of this potential, we have calculated flow down to the tiniest The new 1.8 TFSI is also standing at the start of its career. It is still detail and developed new simulation methods. We see this as a key full of fascinating possibilities – just like all of Engine Development competence that is becoming increasingly important.” at Audi. A further core feature of the 1.8 TFSI was the reduction of internal friction. The balance shafts run on roller bearings and intensive refinements were carried out in all areas. “Our package sets extraordinary benchmarks,” says Eiser. In the crankcase, we have reduced wall thickness to three millimeters, and we accept only tiny tolerances on the cylinder heads. Each head is checked with an optical scanning process prior to casting for the precise positioning of the sand core.”

An amazingly efficient four-cylinder 3 Innovative – the cylinder head incorpo- rates the exhaust manifold. The new 1.8 TFSI is a hi-tech engine in a 4 Head of Development, Engine Systems compact format. Audi has given it a package of Axel Eiser conceives Audi’s power units. technologies that delivers groundbreaking fuel efficiency. Illustrations: Steven Pope Illustrations:

104 Encounter Technology 105 Encounter Technology Rapid Prototyping In Audi workshops, work is being carried out under the Print Preview strictest secrecy on the models of the future. Thanks to rapid proto- typing, individual parts can now be produced in a matter of just a few days. The following offers a glimpse into the third dimension of printing.

Fascinating – a tank of liquid epoxy resin and a laser beam; this is what it takes to print three-dimensional objects, like Audi rings and ventilation grilles.

Experience rapid prototyping on video. www.encounter.audi.com

106 Encounter Technology 107 Encounter Technology 1 Finicky – the finished individual rapid prototyping The Rapid Prototyping Process parts are put together and the ventilation grille starts to take shape.

2 Cautiously – some very careful surface finishing is required to complete the model. Just a little bit too much pressure and the raw part is no longer di- SLA Stereolithography (SL): mensionally accurate. Liquid epoxy resin cures in a UV laser beam.

3 Complex – before the RP equipment can make anything, Stefan Reindl has to convert the CAD data SLS Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)*: into the necessary software format. Laser beams melt powder particles to create a solid body. ← Small pieces – grilles, frames, buttons, spacers, tiny wheels, a 3D printed ventilation grille is made up of many individual parts. FDM Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)* and Objet Printer*: The plastic is deposited in layers through a heated nozzle.

Text Photos Automotive development without this technology Lena Kiening Stefan Warter is now completely unthinkable. At Audi, rapid prototyping is used largely for pre-production vehicles. The software formats for the associated equipment are handled by six people, including Stefan Reindl, who coordinates the print jobs that are submitted each day. The primary focus is on parts for assembly into prototypes – grilles, switches, handles and trim for both exterior and interior. At first glance, it is a completely normal “We supply parts to almost all areas of Technical Development Audi Q3. The four chrome rings gleam in the at Audi,” says Reindl. “Dummy fittings” are made using a variety Singleframe grille; beside them the headlamps with their distinc- of polymer materials, ranging from acrylic and ABS to epoxy resin tive LED daytime running lights. The side view is distinguished by and polyamide. the tornado line of the small SUV; the two tailpipes at the rear of Stefan Reindl is the father of rapid prototyping at the vehicle retain their brand new shine. But even though it looks Audi, having been there from the start in 1999. “It was quite some- as if it just left the production line, this is not in fact a real car; this thing back then to be able to print 3D prototypes,” recalls the tech- is a design model, one of the first models of the new Q3 in one-to- nical specialist. “When the job was finished, we all stood around one scale. the machine in eager anticipation. Our eyes were like saucers All parts were built in accordance with design draw- when the finished part was taken out.” Today, a good twelve years ings and engineering plans. The majority of the large exterior ele- later, rapid prototyping has become a fixed feature of vehicle 1 ments were machined using conventional procedures, mostly from development. Reindl continues, “Classic technologies like the blocks of plastic. But the delicate interior components in particular machining of individual parts have not been replaced by 3D come – from the printer! It is a very special printer indeed that, even printing, but rather complemented.” Rapid prototyping can be from its outward appearance, bears absolutely no similarity to the used to produce complex objects with elaborate internal geom- one on the desk at home. Instead of printing text and images on etries – something that would never have been possible with a paper, it creates three-dimensional objects literally from nothing. casting process. This process is known in the trade as rapid prototyping (RP). In mechanical engineering and product development, it be- longs to a proven and frequently used type of procedure for the manufacture of prototypes. In very little time and using only CAD (computer-aided design) files, smaller three-dimensional objects 2 are built up layer by layer. Known as an “object printer”, it works in 3 a manner similar to an inkjet printer – but instead of ink it is plastic that comes out of the jets. Rapid prototyping dates back to the mid-eighties. It was a dream-come-true for every design engineer, because it meant that prototypes, dummies and models could be made quick- ly and in precise detail from a wide variety of materials – these days sometimes in a matter of a few hours. The laborious and time- consuming path from digital drawing board at the computer to model-making by hand was cut out altogether.

108 Encounter Technology 109 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 The most appropriate 3D production process is used bility during the printing process. Then the raw part is finished in puters to print objects created to their own design on-the-spot – for each field of application. The Audi rapid prototyping work- the model workshop of the associated specialist department – i.e. from candle holders to fashion jewelry to replacement parts for shop has a total of five machines with four different technolo- dressed, polished, primed. The part is transformed with paint and classic cars. But the programming of software for the construc- gies. All produce three-dimensional objects, with the method of surface coatings to create a dummy part that is amazingly similar tional drawings is still the biggest challenge facing the end con- production being very different for each. Two machines work to the real thing. For example, the Audi rings are vapor coated with sumer, which is why the method is likely to remain the domain of using Stereolithography (SLA). It uses an ultra-violet laser beam aluminum to create their chrome look. Finally, the completed professional users for quite some time. to trace outlines on the surface of an epoxy resin bath, causing model part is assembled onto the prototype. And, of course, of the experts in Audi’s Technical De- the material beneath the laser to set. A platform gradually sinks Although it sounds so simple, rapid prototyping is not velopment department, where the next models are constantly into the fluid enabling the next layer to be traced. It takes several feasible for the mass production of consistently identical objects being worked on and printed. The next prototype with parts from hours for the object to be completed. It then undergoes a further – there are far more cost-effective alternatives. It is not just the the 3D printer is already being created in their workshop. curing process beneath a UV lamp – and the raw part is complete. machines that are extremely expensive but, at the moment, the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), on the other hand, materials, too. Also, parts made using rapid prototyping are not works using powder particles. They are melted to a solid body using robust enough to last for long – they become porous and break precisely targeted laser beams. Here, too, a platform sinks in min- easily in everyday use. However, for prototype production, the ute steps, fresh power is delivered and the laser traces the next process is unbeatable. It is a very simple and fast way to produce layer. The ones that bear the closest resemblance to a regular individually adapted, tailor-made one-off parts. household printer are the production processes used in Fused These benefits are also used by the development de- Deposition Modeling (FDM) and on the Objet Printer. Polymer is partments in other companies. Adidas, for instance, uses rapid applied in layers through a heated nozzle. Like all of the machines, prototyping to make most if its prototypes for shoes. Previously, these too are used non-stop for the production of prototype parts it took more than four weeks, now just two days. EADS, too, uses – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. this method in the field of aviation technology. This year, the com- “Each of these technologies has its strengths,” explains pany caused a stir with a complete bicycle printed in a single pro- Reinhard Marberger. He is Head of Model-Making Workshops in the cess using lightweight nylon. Audi Pre-Production Center and is an expert in the respective ben- Rapid prototyping is also used in medicine to make in- 1 efits of the individual printing methods. One creates very fine sur- dividual tooth prosthetics and precisely fitting hearing aids. face structures, used for example in the production of design mod- Research groups from several Fraunhofer Institutes are working els. Others produce printed parts that are relatively stable and on being able in future to produce cartilage implants, blood vessels robust. These can be used for functional testing, such as aerody- and even organs with rapid prototyping. namic tests in the wind tunnel. “We also make a lot of parts for Audi Development extends even farther. Since summer Sport that are then built into the DTM cars and, in some cases, even this year, German company GLI Concept has been offering a 3D undergo initial testing on the race track,” says Marberger. printer called “Shapecube” for around 1,000 Euro. And it is not the Following production, the part is then subject to a large only one of its kind – a real bargain compared with the six-figure number of further process steps. First, it is “washed” in a special prices for industrial 3D printers. Those “early adopters” out there bath to free it from its supporting geometry, which provided sta- can now use a piece of equipment like this with their home com-

1 Proud – Reinhard Marberger, Head of Model-Mak- ing Workshops, in front of a Q3 model. “Life without RP is unthinkable here in the Pre-Produc- tion Center”.

2 Precise – the printed Audi rings are fitted pre- cisely into the A8’s Singleframe grille using laser measurement.

← Ceremonial – in the final step, the finished ventila- tion grille is mounted onto the dashboard of the Q3 prototype.

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110 Encounter Technology 111 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 Change Management – Closing the Gap with New Thinking Audi leads the competitive field in the technical disciplines of electronics and infotainment. This has been made possible through a phase of massive change in Electrical/Electronics Development (EE). Dr. Willibert Schleuter managed this department from 1996 to 2008. During our discussion, he explains the challenges he faced, the new paths he adopted in change management and why they were successful.

Change Extender

Photos A second point was the so-called cross-evaluation. Each Stefan Warter employee who felt so inclined could submit an evaluation of his/ her teamwork with other departments, which generated around 40 percent “red lights”. As a result, the employees then used work- shops to work out ways to improve their cooperation. The next sur- Dr. Schleuter, you took over manage- vey just 18 months later identified that only one third of the red ment of Electronics Development at Audi areas remained. in 1996. What was the situation you found back then? That sounds as if openness is a central factor. Schleuter: Only six weeks after I took over my new posi- Schleuter: It is indeed. And I have a well-known witness tion, I received a call from the then CEO. He was looking at the to that fact. In his book “Winning”, Jack Welch from General latest J.D. Power status – quality statistics from the USA. “We are Electric defined the absence of openness as “the darkest chapter the worst in electrical and electronics,” he said. “If we don’t put of the business world”. According to Welch, it is openness that re- that right quickly, it could cost us both our heads.” Another six inforces the strength of the team and leads to speed and a consid- weeks later, a study of in-vehicle networked electronic systems erable reduction in the resources required. This matches our own technology showed that Audi was well behind the competition experience exactly – openness practiced in EE and in the process in the premium sector – 8 years behind! We had to change, and fast. chain was a decisive driver in the surprisingly short time it took us What were the greatest barriers to change? to close the gap to the competition, and even to overtake them in Schleuter: Firstly, I had to shake up the team, and to do quite a few areas. Openness and trust lead to speed, which, in turn, that I laid the facts on the table. The next step was to seek open enables you to achieve a great deal with few resources. dialogue with the workforce. And I had to change some of the cen- tral players in the management team because we needed a new leadership culture in order to push through the changes. We then worked on this new culture with the management team in a series of workshops – and not just among themselves, but always togeth- er with selected employees from the main workforce. How important was this transparency? Schleuter: We wanted to build a clear image of the situation, which is why we conducted an employee survey – without an external agency. We used our own resources. We wanted primar- ily to know how well the departments worked together and to es- tablish the employees’ evaluation of management performance. The results confirmed a substantial need for change. Because 80 percent of the employees took part in the survey, the team was extremely motivated to implement the changes. What consequences did you derive? Schleuter:Every manager had to address their indi- vidual results. For every criterion, there was a scale ranging from bad to very good. I hung my personal result on the outside of my office door. I broke a taboo with this kind of radical openness – and found support.

112 Encounter Technology 113 Encounter Technology What targets must you set yourself in order Were there other examples of this kind of How did you organize the networking? to reach the top? non-hierarchical communication? Schleuter: The first step was to analyze the resources “Leave the dust Schleuter: The result of our workshops was a very chal- Schleuter: Once a month, we got together for a working and competences of the different specialist areas via regular meet- lenging but highly realistic vision. It is called “The competence for breakfast, to which employees from throughout the hierarchy were ings between the top managers. The second step was then to bring the most attractive customer electronics systems.” The target was invited, as well as colleagues from outside the EE department. The together the operations people from these functions in weekly ses- where it is, set particularly high for the Advanced Technology Department. The challenge was this: “For the next hour, you have my job. What sions. The networking of the functions in product and process be- vision here is “The world’s simplest operating concept”. Many would you do differently?” I was able to learn a great deal from this came far more intensive and competent. The second, huge step was thought we were crazy, but it was these targets that resulted in input and also form a strong bond with the workforce. The inte- the move into the newly built Audi Electronics Center. This was the concentrate on 2002 in the MMI operating system for the Audi A8 and all subse- gration of new employees was one of our core competences and it first time that all the electronics engineers were able to work to- quent vehicles. The MMI system in the A8 and the quality of the was planned methodically. It enabled us to avoid new employees gether under one roof. This further increased the intensity of the electronic components meant a huge leap forward for Audi. being seen as competition for existing ones. Also, the many em- cross-functional cooperation and the speed of implementation. the stone With all of this, it was clear that we could only manage ployees that came to us from suppliers made contributions to our Did your people not at some point have the feeling what was measurable. Therefore, we entered our targets into a changes – nobody knew better than they did how our competitors that the targets had been achieved? combined balanced scorecard* for products, processes, customers were set up. For their part, the new employees were very happy Schleuter: That was indeed the case in the eyes of many for the house.” and employees. All organizational units measured the degree of with these methods, which made their integration and networking employees, which led to them demanding a new vision. This no target achievement every month, generating some sporting com- a whole lot easier. longer came from the EE function, but from all electronics engi- petition. But it was not about pointing the finger at the teams that The EE function has become increasingly neers throughout Audi and was: “Audi Electronics – experience Guiding principle for the employees of scored poorly. Quite the reverse – the objective was a general en- important at Audi in recent years. How have you addressed competence with all the senses.” At a central kick-off event for the Electrical/Electronics Development in the change process. couragement toward better performance. Behind it was the notion this development? new vision, each employee received a booklet with our guidelines that success breeds success. Schleuter: In the 90s, our function still had a very hier- and a special model car in the distinctive color Imola yellow. The Openness, target setting, target achievement – archical structure, but then it developed to become a living network same car was also built for real, and for a long time was a symbol where there more drivers of change management? organization. It became clear to us that the expansion of electron- for our vision and cross-functional cooperation. This kick-off event Schleuter: In the workshops we address three signifi- ics expertise had to start with the development side, although the remains in the hearts and minds of many employees to this day. cant drivers. The first is called Efficiency, which means doing things other parts of the process chain – like quality assurance, customer In the time since then, we have implemented new ideas right. The second is Effectiveness – doing the right things. And the service, planning, assembly and purchasing – initially had some for the further development of management capability and em- third is called Energy, which means doing things with enthusiasm. difficulty with that. We had to set the trend, although we ourselves ployee networking. These were a broad-based management train- We concentrated heavily on the issues of energy and enthusiasm. were still in the middle of establishing ourselves. ing course for young talent and a network training course with In order to increase the power even further, we defined the key We selected an unconventional way to deal with that employees from all the electronics functions involved in the devel- emotional factors of a successful company culture – a sense of pur- – we gave very good employees away to other functions in order to opment of a vehicle. In parallel, we put the cooperation with our pose, communication, effective conflict management, the feeling carry changes through the entire company. There was internal re- external partners on a new footing – we intensified contact and of belonging and creative activity. From this we derived a guiding sistance to that, but our motto was that the greater good of Audi established connections on various hierarchical levels. The highest principle for the employees: “Leave the dust where it is, concen- had top priority. The interests of the company had to stand above performance is only possible when cooperation is a pleasure, and trate on the stone for the house.” the interests of our department. when criticism is combined with the praise of a job well done, mak- How did you manage to get such a large team ing partners feel appreciated. behind this vision? If you were to draw a conclusion – what were the Schleuter: We didn’t simply decree the change process most important factors in the success of the change process? from above. We started it from above, but it was driven from below Schleuter: Certainly the early active involvement of – and massively so. The base was formed by 30 individuals known many employees, the radically open way of dealing with each other as change agents who were selected from their respective teams and the expression of appreciation. Other important factors were to identify what had to be changed and how. In order to reinforce the intensive communication with as many as possible of those the dynamics and to steer, we appointed one full-time employee involved, the joint agreement of demanding targets and working to deal with the change process. This marked a first for Audi with visions that were driven by the employees themselves. A Technical Development. strong, motivated team that works with tailor-made processes and Our new culture also included an appreciation of shop- Dr. Willibert Schleuter documents resources can deliver superior products. At Audi, we have delivered floor employees, a large proportion of whom were prepared to the details of the change process the proof of that. in the book “The Seven Mistakes of undertake further qualifications. We implemented many new Change Management – and How Looking back, the Electrical/Electronics function stands methods there first, thus sending important signals. The shop-floor to Avoid Them”. It was voted the best as a central seed of change within the entire company. We tried a employees drove the innovations forward with a new self-confi- book of 2009 in the “Future Award great many things, fought against a lot of resistance and finally dence and networked more closely with the engineers. Another for Management Literature” by the became an important force for change within Audi. This way, Bundesverband Deutscher Unter- driver of the change process was consistent and ongoing commu- nehmer (German Society of Entre- change management becomes a core competence of the company nication with all levels. preneurs). as a whole. It wasn’t just management, but also employees from the rank and file who participated in all the relevant workshops. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volks- Their task was to communicate what they experienced to their team wagen AG is quoted on the back – authentically and first hand. And it worked. After the workshops of the book thus: “The way that team- there were information sessions for all employees at which the work is being achieved with such results were communicated. These meetings also offered an op- enthusiasm across functional bound- aries within the electronics process portunity for our new employees to introduce themselves. chain is unique. Audi has set a bench- mark in the networking of people and in electronics product quality.”

Read an extract at: www.campus.de, keyword “Die sieben Irrtümer”

114 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 115 Encounter Technology Passion Passion is a driver in Audi’s development work. Passion means love, sometimes lust and always complete commitment. Passion. 118 Write on Track 124 Make a Wish 132 Ready…

116 Encounter Technology 117 Encounter Technology Write on Track

Tradition Shuting Yu from the Chinese province of Shandong is a calligrapher and artist. The characters that he commits to paper convey emotion and harmony.

Modern The Audi touchpad, the MMI touch, masters the characters of three Asian languages. Audi leads the field with this level of operating comfort.

118 Encounter Technology 119 Encounter Technology Text Photos 1 Paul-Janosch Ersing Picture:service

Laid out and weighted down with fine wood, the paper lies ready on the heavy table. Brushes in an array of sizes hang on a fine wooden stand, black ink glistens in a dark dish. Shuting Yu stands in a courtyard of the Temple of the White Pagoda in Beijing deep in concentration. The calligrapher from Shandong Province in northeastern China is currently working on a Sutra, a Buddhist study text. “I have already written 50 meters of paper roll. When 2 I am finished, it will be around 300 meters,” says Shuting Yu, con- veying an idea of the extent of his work in a pleasantly calm voice. He has been working with calligraphy since he was in elementary school. Nobody can say just how many characters he has already painted in his life. Audi keeps more precise figures. The brand’s current models can recognize and understand more than 29,000 Chinese characters. For most people in the western hemisphere, the com- plex oriental characters are utterly unfathomable; for the MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch that features in the Audi A6, A7 Sportback and A8, they represent not the slightest problem. Alongside the Chinese characters (Hanzi), the touchpad masters 6,710 Japanese (Kanji) and 7,249 Korean (Hangul) characters. The touch pad developed by Audi is part of an innovative operating philosophy – while the driver writes the navigation des- tination or phone number with his/her finger on the touch-sensi- tive surface, their eyes remain concentrated on the traffic. To avoid 1 Highly concentrated – input errors every character entry is followed by an acoustic confir- Shuting Yu at work. mation. With a little practice, every Audi driver is transformed into a mobile calligrapher. 2 Self-critical – the master When Shuting Yu hears of the almost 30,000 Chinese assesses his work. characters mastered by Audi’s MMI he is speechless for a moment. → Audi understands Then he counters with a satisfied smile: “But they will never be as Chinese – character recog- detailed and as harmonious as mine.” Since he was a child, it was nition in the MMI. his overwhelming desire to endow strokes and lines committed to paper with as much emotion as possible. A Chinese-language menu first appeared in an Audi in 2003, followed just two years later by the first Chinese Audi naviga- tion system. Since then, the brand with the four rings has been further expanding its leading role in this field. Now all models sold in China are equipped with infotainment systems in the language of the nation; Audi drivers in China have long not been obliged to speak English.

My favorite character is the ‘De’, as in the word Deutschland. It means virtue, which is probably why I like it so much. Shuting Yu Calligrapher

120 Encounter Technology 121 Encounter Technology 1 On the tenth floor of an office building in Beijing, how- ever, English is a must. “It’s our corporate language,” explains Audi engineer Roland Pfänder. The Head of the Audi Infotainment Center (ITC), where around 50 specialists work, stands at his desk and looks down onto the Jingtong West Road far below. In the bright, open-plan office next door, sit people of various different nationalities focused on their flatscreens. “This is where we develop the infotainment systems for China, Japan and Korea. Special customer wishes are extremely important to us. Here, on-the-ground, we can fulfill them in the shortest possible time,” says Roland Pfänder describing his team’s main job. Intakhab Khan, System Development Manager at the ITC continues, “We first adapt the devices originally developed for Europe, Japan or the USA to the Chinese standards.” 2 At the ITC in Beijing, they are particularly proud of the MMI touch and its successful adaptation for the Asian market. “Since the introduction of this technology, our customers have been able to communicate with the vehicle within their familiar language structures,” says Roland Pfänder, stressing the key ben- efit. Previously, the classic rotary/push control was the usual way of entering data, which called for more laborious input using the phonetic Pinyin transcript based on the Latin alphabet. “For cus- tomers of a more advanced age, Pinyin is particularly difficult,” says Pfänder. “It was first introduced in 1957 and many have never re- ally learned it.” China is developing at a breakneck pace. GPS naviga- tion is enjoying increasing popularity in the Middle Kingdom and the digitization of its three million kilometers of roads is progress- ing extremely quickly. The vast majority of it has already been mapped, with almost ten million points of interest (POIs) already saved in navigation devices. This figure seems even bigger when you compare it with the almost 2.4 million POIs saved in Audi mod- 1 Teamwork – Roland Pfänder and his Chinese colleague Xlaodan Tang. els for the European market. Roland Pfänder knows why: “Exact street names, as we 2 Short distances – around 50 know them in Europe or the USA, are not so important for route specialists sit in the bright offices planning. Here in China, you orient yourself far more using distinc- of the ITC. tive buildings or special places.” Because the systems in China work → Concept work – images from Audi’s with noticeably more precision here than elsewhere, one makes infotainment lab. it reliably to a destination even on multilane and three-level city highways.

Special customer wishes are extremely important to us. Here, on-the-ground, we can fulfill them in the shortest possible time. Roland Pfänder Head of Audi ITC

122 Encounter Technology 123 Encounter Technology For the race track – a customer's Audi R8 GT with retro-fitted four-point seat belts as part of the Race Package Make a Wish

Individualization by quattro GmbH The Audi exclusive division of quattro GmbH also fulfills unusual customer wishes. The cars created here are as individual as the fingerprints of their owners. 2 2 1 1 For more safety – installation of the rollover bar in the R8 GT.

2 Highest precision – individual up- holstery for the steering wheel.

3 Assembly – installation of the bucket seats in the Neckarsulm workshop.

333 Audi R8 GT – only 333 of the dynamic top model are being built and they are already sold out.

Text Photos Thomas Tacke Stefan Warter Audi exclusive handles special installations in its Experience the production of an exclusive steering wheel on video. own workshop in Neckarsulm. The bright red rollover bar in the R8 www.encounter.audi.com GT, for example, has to be fitted by hand; installation on the pro- 3 duction line would not have been feasible. The customer has or- dered the “Race Package”, which includes four-point belts and bucket sports seats. This makes the car, of which only 333 are to be With great care, Frank Gutberlet uses a built – all of which are sold out – even more unique. “We have a lot small knife to cut into the parcel shelf be- of requests for individualization with the R8 in particular. The num- hind the sports seats. Part of the carpet has to come out to create bers increase with the class of vehicle,” says Head of Vehicle Indi- space for something special. Meanwhile, his colleague Miguel vidualization Sascha Koch. If desired, his team will stitch names Ordax leans over the open center console and lays in additional into the vehicle seats or put smileys onto entry sills. “There’s no electrical wiring. What the two mechanics are doing in the interior accounting for taste,” smiles Koch. of the Audi R8 GT is absolute precision work. As soon as they Audi exclusive obtains most of its individual parts re­move the black seatbelts, work begins on the installation of from suppliers. The steering wheels, for example, come from the new eye-catcher – a red rollover bar makes the super sports car TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH, a manufacturer in even safer. Aschaffenburg, Bavaria. At the supplier’s leather center, Bianca This kind of vehicle individualization is the core busi- Gräfe sits at a steering wheel for a quattro customer, carefully ness of Audi exclusive, one of the three divisions of Audi quattro pulling the leather over the magnesium and polyurethane foam GmbH. Virtually every customer desire for a personal and unique skeleton. The individualized steering wheels are upholstered automobile perfectly adapted to their own ideas is fulfilled by in leather by hand; a machine would not be able to do this kind the teams in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt. “An increasing number of work. “The leather has to be well distributed and properly of Audi customers want their own creative interpretation of their stretched. Plus, there can’t be any air trapped between the adhe- vehicle,” says Jens Koch, Head of Project Management, Vehicle sive and the leather,” stresses the seamstress. She spends up Projects at Audi exclusive. to three hours on one steering wheel for Audi quattro GmbH. These customers can take a look at the breadth of op- “The customers often have special requests for the leather and the tions and the sheer, inexhaustible range of possibilities at the Audi stitching. Almost every steering wheel is different; there’s a exclusive studio in the Audi Forum Neckarsulm. Audi exclusive of- vast degree of scope,” explains Martin Kreuzer, Senior Manager fers individual paint finishes, alloy wheels, premium leather uphol- Technology at TRW. There is leather and thread in every imagin- stery and fine interior finishes. “We do anything that’s possible. It able color. The stitching itself can be created in a variety of patterns. just has to be legally and technically feasible,” says Koch. The cus- Be it distinctive paintwork or small steering wheel tomer wishes are hugely diverse. One example is the Audi Q7 ex- stitches, the spectrum of vehicle individualization through Audi clusive concept limited edition with the look of a premium yacht – exclusive is huge. “There is no limit to the imagination. Variety is 50 of the SUVs were fitted with top-quality yacht hardwood floor- our major strength,” says Jens Koch. Every Audi is premium and top ing. A prince from Dubai ordered an Audi A8 with pink paintwork quality; it is just the very special customer wishes that are fulfilled and a customer from the USA took delivery of her R8 in mint green by Audi exclusive. “That is what we do,” says Koch, “we put the metallic – the color of her sail boat. cherry on the cake.”

126 Encounter Technology Consistent – seats, belts and bar symbolize the dynamics…

… the logo of the R8 GT stands for the power of Audi’s top sports car. 1 Finest leather – Poltrona Frau delivers the 1 upholstery for seats and armrests.

2 Exclusive – the trim pieces are finished in natural European ash.

2

Maximum luxury – seats and center console in 50 the A8 L W12 Audi exclusive concept. Limited edition – only 50 of the A8 L W12 Audi A8 L W12 Audi exclusive concept –

exclusive concept are being built. Best information and entertainment – the back flagship refinement with Rear Seat Entertainment. The A8 is Audi’s flagship. The extremely high standard already supplied in the series-production version can, however, be topped. Audi quattro GmbH has developed an exclusive low-volume version of the luxury-class sedan. The A8 L W12 Audi exclusive con- cept is a fascinating vehicle with a highly sophisticated interior. The seating is upholstered in cognac leather from Italian furniture specialist Poltrona Frau and boasts an incredibly soft, even and natural finish. The center panel of the cushions and backrests are edged with distinctive granite grey piping. An array of leather elements in the interior completes the package – even the key is clad in leather. The trim elements in the A8 L W12 Audi exclusive con- Sporty, individual and exclusive – cept are – in an elegant contrast – finished in natural European ash. Audi quattro GmbH “The light, grey-brown veneer has a very fine grain. The silver ac- cents further refine the look of the wood,” says Volker Höhl, Head Audi quattro GmbH was founded in 1983 as a one hun- of Audi exclusive. The wood is inlayed into the seat backs, the front dred percent subsidiary of AUDI AG and now has a worldwide repu- of the cockpit, the door panels and the rear-seat operating console. tation for the ultimate in sporting character, individuality and ex- Audi presented the car in a monsoon grey paint finish clusivity. The company has three core areas of business – Audi Sport for the first time at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA). The A8 L performance cars is dedicated to the manufacture and production W12 Audi exclusive concept will be built as a limited run of 50 of high-performance vehicles like the R8, the RS models and special units. After the Audi Q7, this is the second vehicle to bear this ex- editions. Audi Sport customer racing offers high-speed customer clusive label, with more set to follow. sport with the R8 LMS and the TT RS and Audi exclusive fulfills al- most every imaginable desire for individual vehicle design and of- fers a broad spectrum of premium lifestyle accessories. “Our customers expect an emotional and surprising experience. With our three divisions, we excite them with impres- sive product performance and virtually unlimited possibilities for self-expression,” says Head of Audi exclusive Volker Höhl. Audi quattro GmbH is based in Neckarsulm, where it has around 600 employees. A further 100 are in Ingolstadt. Since it was founded, the company has sold more than 55,000 high- performance vehicles, while a further 160,000 vehicles are indi- vidualized every year.

131 Encounter Technology Class reunion – Michael Dick with two DTM generations, the new A5 DTM for 2012 and the V8 quattro from 1990. Ready…

How has DTM technology changed over the past 20 years? Michael Dick, Board Member for Technical Development sees for himself.

132 Encounter Technology 133 Encounter Technology Time travel – Michael Dick in the V8 quattro. For the DTM of the early 90s the race cars were still built on series- production bodyshells. Even the wood veneer trim in the cockpit is still there. set…

Fire-retardant overalls and helmet instead of a suit – even for the company’s chief engineer this is no everyday appointment.

134 Encounter Technology 135 Encounter Technology go!

Yesterday meets today – the Audi V8 quattro and the Audi A5 DTM running on the test track in Neustadt.

Audi A5 DTM 2012

Data Displacement 4,000 cm³ Power ca. 460 hp Torque more than 500 Nm Length / width / height 5,010 / 1,950 / 1,150 mm

Audi V8 quattro 1990

Data Displacement 3,562 cm³ Power ca. 420 PS Torque 390 Nm Length / width / height 4,874 / 1,814 / 1,335 mm

136 Encounter Technology 137 Encounter Technology Text Photos Dr. Ullrich immediately explains the conceptual differ- Thomas Voigt Stefan Warter ence between the DTM car from 1990 and the one from 2012. “The V8 quattro was still based on a series-production car, while the A5 DTM is a prototype. That is a completely different philosophy. Experience the Audi touring cars in action. Back then, different vehicle, engine and drive concepts were www.encounter.audi.com evened out with additional weight.” The outcome was that the V8 quattro had to enter the fray with a fighting weight of up to 1.5 tonnes. Dick and Dr. Ullrich followed the DTM back in 1990 – although still as spectators. “I was one for the many ‘red riding hoods’ in the grandstand,” confides Michael Dick, who was Head Team Leader in Quality Development. “There were even special trains leaving Ingolstadt for the races,” recalls Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, who was then a department head at an exhaust system manufacturer and followed the DTM primarily on television. He experienced his first DTM race at the end of 1991 in Hockenheim. Two years later, the Austrian took over management of Audi Sport. “I will never forget how Striezel Stuck, on a lap of honor, It’s not all that often that Michael Dick has hung halfway out of the door and stroked the roof of his car,” recalls the opportunity to exchange his suit for Michael Dick as he continues to reminisce with Dr. Ullrich. “And the fire-retardant overalls, put on a helmet and climb behind the Norisring was, of course, always our home track. It is amazing how wheel of a race car. close they drive to the walls there, sometimes even losing their This Friday is exactly such a day. And today, awaiting outside mirrors.” the Member of the Board of Management for Technical Develop­ “That was more critical for the cars back then than it is ment at AUDI AG are two vehicles that could hardly be more dif- now,” reckons Dr. Ullrich, “because the wheels hardly had any space ferent, although they both originated from the DTM – that popular in the almost production-standard bodyshell. When you drove off race series that has seen Audi win the title no less than eight times. the mirror, there was a high risk that you also damaged the front The difference lies in the year each of the two cars was fender, causing the wheels to start rubbing. These days, not only built. Hans-Joachim Stuck took the first DTM title for the company are the wheels bigger and wider, they also have a lot more space in in 1990 with the Audi V8 quattro, while the new A5 DTM still has the wheel arches.” its career ahead of it. It was developed by Audi Sport for the Which brings us to the walk-round with the two gentle- new technical regulations that will see the DTM enter a new era in men of the two DTM vehicles from yesterday and today. The V8 2012. And the Head of Audi Sport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich extended quattro looks long-legged and narrow, the A5 DTM low and wide. a personal invitation to his boss to drive both DTM cars and to make “The A5 is 18.5 centimeters lower, 13.6 centimeters longer and a comparison. 13.6 centimeters wider than the V8,” calculates Dr. Ullrich. “That’s Serving as the location for the test is the proving ground what makes the difference. Both cars have 18-inch wheels – but the in Neustadt, on which almost all of the new race cars from Audi tires today are not only wider and higher, they also have a lot more 460 hp Sport complete their roll-outs and on which Michael Dick, as the air in them than back then. Plus, ground clearance is a lot less – and company’s Chief Engineer, is completely at home. The Audi V8 quat- that’s compared with the current A4 DTM, too.” In 1990, the close-to-series-production V8 already produced 420 hp. tro is the original championship car from 1990 that is kept by Audi Tradition. The A5 DTM with the chassis number R17-103 is the ve- A later increase to 460 hp took it to its performance limits. The new V8 in hicle that celebrated its world premiere in September at the the A5 DTM is throttled and could produce more. Frankfurt Auto Show. The tinted windows are an indication that Audi Sport is not yet willing to reveal all of its secrets. Photos of the interior are currently off limits, even for Audi photographers. “DTM rules for next year call for a lot more common parts,” explains Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, who has been the Head of Audi Sport since 1993. “That’s why the tiny details will be a lot more important than ever to achieve an advantage over the com- petition.” That was all very different in 1990. Back then, the V8 quattro set itself well apart from the competition through its size, quattro drive and its large-displacement engine. 1

1 Exchange of views – Michael Dick and 2 Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

2 Clear lines – the form of the A5 has been retained for the DTM version.

138 Encounter Technology 139 Encounter Technology Experts – Michael Dick and “That shows that we have made a very fine job of the Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich with the new coupe,” says Dr. Ullrich, obviously very pleased with the praise. Audi A5 DTM. The interior is “Because you might expect the feeling of space to be better in still off limits for photographers. a sedan.” Dick is particularly pleased that the exterior design of the series-production A5 remains clearly recognizable, as the aero- dynamicists no longer have the same freedoms they have enjoyed in the past. The airflow through the vehicle that Audi introduced to the DTM and that was subsequently copied by the competition is no longer permitted as of 2012. “Despite the tight regulations, there are still plenty of ways to set yourself apart from the compe- tition,” says a convinced Dr. Ullrich. “Aerodynamic efficiency will continue to play a very important role, as will the chassis kinemat- ics. However, the regulations prevent an arms race that would com- The Head of Audi Sport could spend hours talking us promise safety. We wanted an even higher safety standard, spec- through the differences between the two DTM generations, but tacular cars and reduced costs – and that’s what we achieved.” it’s time now for the test drives. First up is the V8 quattro, which For the Head of Audi Sport, the move away from modi- turns out to be extremely difficult to climb into and out of on ac- fied series-production vehicles to purely prototype regulations is count of the side impact protection made from steel tubing. Once the right one. “It was always extremely difficult to balance the dif- in there, the seating position is virtually identical to the series- ferent vehicle and drive concepts, especially for the different production car – and even the fine wood veneer trim in the cockpit tracks,” he says. “Now, everybody is starting from the same point.” comes from the luxury sedans of the time. And there are plenty For Michael Dick, there is still plenty of association be- more features that are very similar to the production version, “The tween the DTM and series production – and not just from the visual V8 had a synchronized gearbox,” explains Dr. Ullrich. “You had to standpoint. “One issue that is becoming increasingly important work the clutch and gearshift in the regular way.” is ultra-lightweight design,” he explains. “We have developed a It’s all very different in the A5 DTM. Climbing in and out strategy of making CFRP feasible for high-volume production, too. ultra of it is easier, although the driver sits much farther back in the Thanks to motorsport and the DTM we are well out in front. Paddle carbon-fiber monocoque than in the series-production A5. The shifting and steering wheels with flattened undersides are good ultra-lightweight design has an important role to play in the clutch is needed only for pulling away; in the 2012 DTM, gearshift examples that come from racing and have been applied to our se- will be via steering wheel paddles for the first time. “A clear con- ries-production vehicles.” DTM, too. Carbon fiber helps save excess kilograms. nection to our S tronic from series production,” acknowledges Audi is absolutely convinced that the A5 DTM, which is Michael Dick, who is surprised by how easily the A5 DTM pulls away built almost entirely from CFRP, will continue Audi’s DTM success from a standstill. “You barely have to touch the accelerator,” he story. And perhaps the new car will also manage something that notices. “The electronics help a lot,” confirms Dr. Ullrich. The only was denied its predecessor, the A4 DTM, but that was achieved in thing that takes a little getting used to for Dick is the carbon-fiber 1990 and 1991 by the V8 quattro – a victory at Audi’s home race on brakes that demand a great deal of force and only really bite when the Norisring. Nobody would be more happy about that than they are up to temperature. “Which is why warming up the brakes Michael Dick. is so important,” says Dr. Ullrich. After several laps with the two DTM vehicles on the oval test track in Neustadt, Michael Dick has gathered a whole host of impressions. “You can obviously see it in the cars that there are more than 20 years between them,” says the Chief Engineer. “But blindfolded, I would have probably guessed the difference to be much less. Even back then, Audi was ahead of its time. Aside from that, they are completely different cars. The A5 reacts directly and incredibly precisely. And I was very positively surprised by the im- pressively spacious feel of the A5 DTM. I felt very much at ease in it right from the start – even more so than in the A4 DTM, which I have also had the chance to drive.”

1

1 Firm grip – like the V8 quattro, the A5 DTM 2 runs on 18-inch wheels. The tires, however, are higher and wider.

2 Tailplane – a huge rear spoiler provides downforce for the A5 DTM. The V8 quattro had virtually no aerodynamic assistance.

140 Encounter Technology 141 Encounter Technology * See glossary, p. 142 Technical terms explained Piloted Driving Pre sense System Rapid Prototyping Car-to-X-Communication At Audi, piloted driving is the application of tech- At Audi, Pre sense refers to an accident avoidance Rapid Prototyping refers to a range of different pro- Brief definitions of the terms used in this issue. Car-to-X communication refers to a communications nologies that enable a vehicle to drive autonomously system. The base version is fitted as standard equip- cesses for producing prototypes using components technology whereby vehicles can communicate with without any input from the driver. ment and, in the event of something like an emer- made directly from CAD construction data. each other, with their owners and with the traffic gency braking maneuver, tightens the seat belts, infrastructure via wireless networks. This benefits Plug-in Hybrid closes the windows and sliding roof, adjusts the seats fuel efficiency and safety and enables services such A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is a vehicle with hybrid drive to the upright position and activates the hazard as cash-free refueling. whereby the battery can also be charged externally lights. The optional systems Pre sense front, Pre by plugging it into the electricity grid. sense rear and Pre sense plus are networked with all the radar sensors and cameras in the car and monitor the traffic in front of and behind the vehicle. If re- quired, they instigate measures that avoid collisions ACC – adaptive cruise control or mitigate their consequences. At Audi, adaptive cruise control refers to a distance- Glossary based cruise control that uses radar sensors and cameras to automatically regulate the distance to vehicles in front.

3D printer – rapid prototyping is an indispensable process in Audi Development.

Recuperation Networked – Audi car-to-x systems facilitate Recuperation means the recovery of kinetic energy completely new communication structures. derived from deceleration. Under trailing throttle or during braking, the generator converts the kinetic CFRP energy into electrical energy, which is then stored CFRP is the acronym for “carbon-fiber reinforced temporarily in the battery. Recuperation reduces polymer”. View – the Audi Pre sense systems give a new the fuel consumption of internal combustion en- dimension to anticipatory driving. gines and is an important element in all hybrid and electric drives.

Minimum distance – the Audi adaptive cruise Pushrod Technology Vibrating Coil Actuator control delivers maximum safety Pushrod refers to a suspension technology com- The vibrating coil actuator is part of the active engine monly found in motorsport with springs and damp- mount for vibration damping. In the electromag- ALZ ers arranged virtually horizontally within the netic vibrating coil actuator, an elastic membrane The Aluminum and Lightweight Design Center (ALZ) Recharging – Audi is testing the everyday usability bodyshell. transmits the rapid vertical motion of the actuator at Audi in Neckarsulm serves the development, pro- of plug-in hybrid technology. as counter-vibrations into the mount’s hydraulic duction planning and quality assurance of light- fluid, which also absorbs the engine vibrations. The weight materials like aluminum and fiber-reinforced PMD Diode counter-vibrations superimpose the engine vibra- polymers. A PMD diode (PMD = photo mix detector) is a means tions thus cancelling them out. of precise three-dimensional distance measure- Balanced Scorecard ment. A light source sends invisible infrared light Balanced Scorecard (BSC) serves as an instrument Light – CFRP plays a weighty role alongside into the field in front of the car at intervals of 10 of measurement, documentation and control of aluminum in Audi's lightweight design concept milliseconds. It is reflected by objects there and sent company activities in the implementation of new back to the sensor located in the base of the rear view strategies. DLP Technology mirror. Detectors in the sensor measure the run- Digital Light Processing (DLP) refers to projection ning time of the light beams and compare them with Bar graph readout technology that features a DLP chip equipped with a reference signal – thus generating information The bar graph readout refers to a bar-shaped chart microscopically small mirrors. The technology en- about the distance of the objects. for depicting the size of signals – the stronger the ables brilliant reproduction of colors and top-quality signal, the longer the bar. image contrast. Formula – Audi uses pushrod technology in all its racing cars. Boxwing airfoil EADS Boxwing refers to an airfoil layout whereby two air- The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Com- Range Extender foils of different shapes are arranged one above the pany (EADS) is Europe’s largest aerospace group. Range extenders are engines that increase the dis- other and joined at the outer ends. This “box-shaped” Alongside the Airbus, EADS produces a wide range tance that an electric vehicle can travel. An internal design delivers a higher degree of flight stability and of products for military applications and space combustion engine operating as a range extender reduces fuel consumption. travel. powers a generator that supplies electricity to a bat- tery and the electric motor. Fused Deposition Modeling Fused Deposition Modeling refers to a fused layer- ing process for the creation of three-dimensional models using rapid prototyping (see ref.). The model is formed by the layered fusing and curing of plastic Innovative – the Audi PMD diode enables exact or wax material. distance measurement of moving objects.

Laser Sintering Process Quiet – Audi active noise control uses this kind The laser sintering process is a method whereby the of actuator for reducing noise level. layered sintering of powdered raw materials gener- ates complex three-dimensional component struc- Synthetic Gas tures on the basis of CAD data, as used in rapid pro- Synthetic gas is derived from non-crude-oil-based totyping (see ref.). sources such as natural gas, coal or biomass. This Aeronautics – Audi also refers to the expertise of synthetic gas can be used to synthesize a wide range EADS aircraft engineers for efficiency improvements. NEDC of hydrocarbons and thus a variety of different fuels. The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) is used for the calculation of fuel consumption. It incorpo- rates four city cycles with constant driving at speeds of 15, 32, 40 and 50 km/h, as well as one cross- country drive on main roads and highways at a speed of 120 km/h.

Objet Printer Objet is the name of a market-leading company that develops, produces and sells 3D printers for rapid prototyping (see ref.).

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AUDI AG 85045 Ingolstadt

Responsible for content: Toni Melfi, Head of Communications, I/GP

Managing Editors: Lisa Füting Christine Maukel

Concept and Realization: Hermann Reil

Graphic Concept and Layout: stapelberg&fritz

Authors: Paul-Janosch Ersing Christian Günthner Agnes Happich Lena Kiening Johannes Köbler Kristin Jurack Christine Maukel Hermann Reil Daniel Schuster Markus Stier Thomas Tacke Bernhard Ubbenhorst Thomas Voigt

Photography: Stefan Warter Myrzik und Jarisch Picture:service Benjamin Maerzke Robin Wink

Translation: Elaine Catton

Illustrations: Steven Pope Scriberia sxces Communication

Post Production: Martin Tervoort

Printing: Kunst- und Werbedruck Bad Oeynhausen

144 Encounter Technology