You might have already read about Audi’s new Q6 e-tron electric SUV, Ingolstadt’s sister car to the upcoming Porsche Macan EV. We previewed the Audi last week, covering its 100 kWh battery pack, 373-mile (600 km) range, and 270 kW charge speeds.
But this week Audi has revealed more about the unusual lighting technology that makes its debut on the Q6, and judging from spy shots of other future Audis is sure to be rolled out to the brand’s full fleet in good time.
We’ve become familiar over the past 20 years with automakers using light designs to make their cars instantly recognizable, but Audi has gone a step further by allowing drivers to personalize their Q6 by changing the slight signature of the latest Matrix LED headlights and OLED rear lights.
The SUV’s daytime running lights in the front and OLED rears offer eight optional light signatures that can be selected using the vehicle’s MMI controller or by smartphone via the myAudi app. Audi has offered configurable rear light designs in the Q5, A8, and S8 in recent years thanks to the arrival of OLED technology, but this is the first time drivers have been able to tweak the design of the front lights.
Related: 2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron Previewed With 100 kWh Battery And Up To 510 HP
The front DRLs now feature 70 individual LEDs while the number of segments in each digital OLED panel in the rear lights has increased from six to 60 compared with the first generation tech used in older Audis. In addition to allowing owners to personalize the design of their Q6, the new rear lights have a practical use because they can display warnings to other vehicles approaching from behind, letting them know if there is a broken-down car ahead.
It also puts a new twist on Audi’s exit warning safety system, which previously only alerted passengers inside the parked car preparing to open a door about the approach of cyclists or other vehicles. Now, thanks to the new smart rear lights those approaching cyclists and vehicle drivers will see a warning symbol in the rear OLED graphic of the parked Q6 telling them to watch out for someone trying to exit.
Both the front and rear lights also display a warning signature when the Q6’s automated parking mode has been selected, which means you’ll know it’s the SUV that’s to blame for the glacial pace of the parking maneuver and not the driver.