Infotainment & connectivity

MMI navigation plus is also joined by the Audi connect services onboard the Q3 Sportback. They are an ideal addition to the navigation. Data transfer is based on the LTE Advanced standard in almost all European countries via a SIM card permanently installed in car, the Audi connect SIM.

Audi connect: four attractive Car-to-X services

The connect portfolio includes, for example, traffic information online, point-of-interest search, and information on parking lots and gas stations. They appear directly on the navigation map, including any current information such as prices and availability. Further connect services include online media streaming, online news, as well as Twitter and email inbox access. A Wi-Fi hotspot for the passengers’ mobile devices completes the Audi connect portfolio. It also supports the 5 GHz band and allows download rates up to 300 Mbit/s and upload speeds of up to 50 Mbit/s. As an option, the customer can add on data packages conveniently from the car.

The Q3 Sportback uses the swarm intelligence of the Audi fleet for the Car-to-X services in the connect portfolio. Suitably equipped vehicles report vehicles moving into and out of parking spaces so that forecasts on vacant roadside parking spaces appear in many towns and cities. The cars from the swarm also warn each other of hazards such as fog or black ice, and report current speed limits. The traffic light information service is a new addition. The car receives individually prepared information from a city’s main traffic light computer via a server. For example, the Audi virtual cockpit shows at what permissible speed the driver will reach the next traffic light on green. The service provides great support for a preventive, efficient driving style and favors an even flow of traffic. This offering is initially available in individual European cities and will be gradually extended depending on the infrastructure in the urban area.

Audi connect navigation & infotainment plus: even more info from the cloud

Navigation is made even more attractive with the optional add-on package Audi connect navigation & infotainment plus, which, like the basic services, is available for three years after the new car is purchased. High-resolution satellite images from Google Earth and detailed 3D models of many major European cities make navigation easier. The hybrid radio is also part of the package. It automatically switches between FM, DAB and the online stream to ensure optimum reception at all times. Voice control is offered here with expanded capabilities: It uses not only onboard information but also detailed knowledge from the cloud to answer questions. The online cross-referencing improves the detection rate and the results. The advantage of on-board information is that it is available very quickly and securely – including in underground garages where there is no cell-phone network.

A further service included in the package is the cloud-based Amazon voice service Alexa, which is integrated into the MMI operating system. The driver can use it to place orders and get information on various current events. Alexa streams music and audiobooks and provides access to over 80,000 Alexa skills. The smart home control allows users to lock doors in the house, adjust the lighting and close the garage door from within the car.

Closely connected: the myAudi app

Many Audi connect functions are bundled in the free myAudi app, which connects the customer’s smartphone to the Q3 Sportback. For example, it can be used to seamlessly transfer navigation routes to the MMI: As soon as the driver gets into the car, route guidance is switched to the onboard monitor. When the user gets out of the car later on, the smartphone takes over again. The app also supports music streaming and displays the smartphone calendar in the MMI.

Furthermore, the Q3 Sportback can be locked and unlocked remotely using the myAudi app. Customers can also view the current vehicle status, find where the car is parked, get directions to the car and operate the optional stationary heater. These services are included on board as part of the Audi connect remote & control package starting from MMI radio plus, just like the Audi connect emergency call, online roadside assistance and online service appointment as part of the Audi connect safety & service.

A new listening experience: Telephony and sound system

The Audi phone box, which is included with the hardware modules that complement the infotainment offer, offers a particularly useful convenience feature: It links the owner’s smartphone to the vehicle’s antenna and charges the phone inductively. A further function called voice-over-LTE helps to connect faster and makes it possible to use high-speed data transfer and high-resolution voice telephony at the same time in digital quality.

The Audi smartphone interface makes the connection even more versatile. It establishes contact with the customers’ iOS and Android smartphones and transfers their Apple CarPlay or Android Auto environment to the MMI display. For the iPhone, this even works wirelessly with MMI navigation plus. There are two USB ports in the center console for connecting smartphones physically. They offer a loading and data function for playing music from a portable media player via the loudspeakers in the car. One of them is compatible with type C with fast transfer rates and a symmetric port for easy connection. Customers can order two optional USB-C ports in the rear for charging devices.

The Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with virtual 3D sound that delivers up to 680 watts provides special listening pleasure. It actuates 15 loudspeakers, six of which generate the virtual 3D sound. Four of these are located in the area of the instrument panel, where they use the reflections from the windshield. The other two are positioned in each of the D-pillars. An algorithm that Audi developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute adds impressive width and depth to the sound. A digital radio tuner completes the hardware of the infotainment program.

All terms marked in the text are explained in detail in the technology lexicon at www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/technology-lexicon.

The equipment, data and prices specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.