Audi’s new A8 is looking increasingly likely to be the firm’s first model to bring its virtual dashboard technology to the market.
Previewed by the Audi E-tron Quattro Concept, Audi’s virtual dashboard extends on the company’s virtual cockpit by replacing most physical buttons and knobs with three digital displays responsible for all the vehicle’s operations.
The largest display of the three from the concept is the 14.1-inch display which acts as the instrument panel. This curved display is then joined by two touchscreens on the center console, the top of which includes navigation and infotainment operations while the lower screen offers text input and controls for the air conditioning.
A key features of Audi’s virtual dashboard is that its touchscreens utilize haptic feedback meaning an operator can feel when they have enabled a function, rather than aimlessly tapping and prodding at a screen that gives no sensory feedback.
When interviewed by Autocar about what model would debut the system, Audi electronics expert Andreas Lamprecht said “Obviously it is a technology that will start in our big cars and work down through the range,” giving credence to speculation about the new A8 arriving in 2017 being the first model to debut the system.
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