Lighting technology

With the second generation of digital OLED rear lights, the Audi A6 e-tron is taking light design, range of functions, and road safety to a new level. With these innovations, the A6 e-tron is the leader in its class in the field of advanced lighting technology. The active digital light signature, a world first introduced with the Audi Q6 e-tron, makes a new and vibrant impression, pointing the way to the future of lighting technology at Audi. 

The second generation of digital OLED technology shapes the appearance of the new Audi A6 e-tron and significantly increases its range of functions. This technology significantly improves road safety, as impressively demonstrated by the communication light in the digital OLED rear lights. 

Audi is also underscoring its leading role in personalization: With eight digital light signatures in the redesigned digital daytime running lights in the Matrix LED headlights and in the digital OLED rear lights 2.0, drivers can customize the appearance of their A6 e-tron to suit their personal taste. These customizations are easy to make via the MMI or the myAudi app.

Active digital light signature: harmony in motion

Headlights and rear lights that appear alive at first glance: This is how customers can think of the active digital light signature. “We’ve given the light signatures their own personality and the digital world its own aesthetics at the same time,” explains César Muntada, Head of Lighting Design. The second-generation digital OLED rear lights have ten 450-segment OLED panels that use a specially developed algorithm to generate a new image several times a second. This allows the active digital light signature to demonstrate the car’s vibrancy and ability to interact by making the “brain waves” of the A6 e-tron visible through constant movement. A software module on one of the domain computers of the Audi A6 e-tron makes this type of light signature possible. At the front, the active digital light signature is generated via the interaction of the algorithm with twelve segments that dim up and down. At the rear, all the digital OLED segments are used. The individual segments interact in such a way that the overall image of the light signature does not vary in light intensity.

A particular highlight of the new Audi A6 e-tron is the optional illumination of the four rings at the rear. This feature clearly emphasizes Audi’s corporate identity and gives the new A6 e-tron its own personality.

The second generation of digital OLED technology

“Audi recognized the potential of using OLED technology in rear lights early on and has since been the only car manufacturer to continue systematically advancing their development and digitalization. As a result, we can now offer our customers an ever-new range of lighting functions,” explains Stephan Berlitz, Head of Lighting Development, demonstrating a clear strategy behind the use of this technology. “Digital OLEDs are more efficient, lighter, and more homogeneous than traditional lighting systems,” Berlitz continues, offering a glimpse of the future: “Due to their high contrast, they are gradually turning into exterior displays, making them an important enabler of communication with the car’s surroundings.” With the next generation of digital OLEDs in the rear lights used on the Audi A6 e-tron, Audi is significantly expanding the range of functions and design freedom while, above all, improving road safety. The digital OLED rear lights can purposefully communicate with the immediate environment (car-to-X communication). The number of segments per digital OLED panel has increased from 6 to 45 segments compared to the first generation. Ten OLED panels with a total of 450 segments are used in the rear lights of the A6 e-tron. The new E3 1.2 electronics architecture has its own software on one of the domain computers that allows it to control this significantly increased number of segments. The innovative digital OLED technology creates the conditions for a completely new rear light design and ensures a one-of-a-kind homogeneity and very high contrast. 

There are further advantages as well: Light surface sources do not require additional reflectors, light guides, or optics, making them very efficient. These properties allow Audi’s engineers and designers to transcend the boundaries between two- and three-dimensionality in design. In other words, the brand with the four rings is creating three-dimensional shapes on two-dimensional surfaces. In addition to an expressively integrated LED light strip at the rear, 3D glass successfully separates the rear light signature from the other lighting functions.

Audi is also innovating the front of the car. The next generation of digital daytime running lights and the light modules are now visually separate, creating greater design clarity. The designers envisioned the individual LEDs in this new evolution of digital daytime running lights – 75 LEDs in total – as transparent 3D objects.

Intelligent headlights and rear lights

Audi has also taken the safety functions to a new level. Proximity indication, a feature familiar from other Audi models, for example the Q6 e-tron, has been expanded in the new A6 e-tron to include the communication light. This feature warns other road users in advance of accidents and breakdowns.

To do this, the communication light in the digital OLED rear lights warns its environment in critical road situations by displaying a specific, static rear light signature with integrated warning symbols in addition to the regular rear light graphic. The assistance system thus aids Audi drivers as well as all other road users. As with the advanced traffic information system in the Audi A8, which warns road users of accidents or hazards via projections from the digital Matrix LED headlights, the communication light also uses data from the swarm. In addition, the second-generation digital OLED rear lights activate the communication light with warning symbols for emergency assist, RECAS (rear-end collision alert signal), hazard warning lights, emergency calls (eCall), roadside assistance calls, and emergency brake lights. 

The communication light also adds an extra dimension to the exit warning function. Previously, it only informed the occupants when exiting the car, for example, if another car or even a bicycle was approaching. But now, the warning symbol of the communication light lights up within the rear light graphic to warn cyclists or drivers approaching the car from behind. In this way, the Audi A6 e-tron extends its safety concept to other road users, increasing road safety for everyone.

Finally, the communication light also uses a specific light signature at the front and rear to indicate the car’s park assist status in automated parking mode. This makes it clear to road users in the immediate vicinity that the vehicle is in a safe state.

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.