Ingolstadt, November 15, 2021- The needs of potential A8 customers are changing. They desire emotional and comfortable mobility experiences that fit their personal lifestyle. Values such as time, space and personal decision making become increasingly important. Experience with quality materials. In the revamped Audi A8, the main definition of the premium concept is an emotional and comfortable interior experience, as well as new and proven technologies.
Modern cars must fit seamlessly into the daily lives of users and be able to meet as many of their needs as possible at all times. Versatile and comfortable interiors are becoming more and more important in this race. Manufacturers would do well to carefully analyze the increasingly diverse target groups in the luxury sector. When designing an interior, aspects such as comfort, operating logic, infotainment or the quality and sustainability of the materials used are paramount.
Comfort plus safety: relaxation seat and digital matrix LED headlights
“The interior must appeal to all of the senses and be comfortable. In addition, customers in the luxury segment expect us to offer the latest technologies, especially in the areas of safety, lighting and infotainment,” says Peter Dlab, technical project manager for the Audi A8. An example is the relaxation in the back of the A8 L, which offers multiple adjustment options and has footrests on the backrest of the front passenger seat. Passengers can use it to heat and massage the soles of their feet to varying degrees. The Air Quality Kit improves the air quality inside the vehicle. A combination filter with four-zone automatic climate control captures most gases and fine dust. It also helps make allergens and microbes harmless. As such, these features invite passengers to work and relax.
In the updated Audi A8, the Digital Matrix LED headlights feature DMD technology – DMD stands for Digital Micromirror Device. Each headlamp has about 1.3 million micromirrors that split the light from the especially powerful LEDs into tiny pixels. This allows it to be controlled with high precision and resolution. Freeway lane and turn signals emit a layer of light that illuminates your own lane especially brightly. Especially on road construction sites, this directional light helps the driver intuitively stay in the lane. The upgraded A8 also comes standard with digital OLED taillights. OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode.
Along with the assistance system, the taillights feature distance detection – all OLED sections are automatically activated if other road users approach a stationary A8 within two metres from the rear.
Understanding the market
An example of how Audi responds to market peculiarities is the Audi A8 L Horch, the new flagship model for China, the most important sales market for the Audi four-ring brand. The derivative, with its prestige and status-oriented equipment, embodies Audi’s understanding of an advanced luxury sedan with the greatest customer orientation. In order to accurately understand market needs and be able to meet them, Audi has conducted in-depth market research around the world. For example, in China, the character of the vehicle as a limousine with driver is paramount. The Audi Innovation Research (AIR) team in Beijing is responsible for market activities there. Chinese customers prefer gadgets and complex design solutions than customers in other parts of the world. There is a very high demand for customizable digital tools and services. Speed is critical to finding solutions.
AIR and AIC
“We’re far more than a traditional market research department,” explains Yu Zhao, head of AIR China. “We conduct a great deal of research, partly because Chinese customers are very different from those in Europe and the US.” One of the most important tools in this context is the Audi Innovator Circle (AIC). A community of more than 800 consumers from Audi’s target group is digitally connected via a chat application. Feedback from these trend scouts is characterized by the extreme reliability and quality of their presentations. Within two weeks, Audi received approximately 300 to 400 quantitative survey responses, as well as approximately 20 to 30 in-depth presentations from the same period of qualitative research. The survey focused on the user’s experience with the car or certain vehicle features, as well as on the lifestyle of the target group and their perception of the Audi brand.
Being chauffeured and driving yourself
Sporting agility and driving dynamics have characterized the Audi A8 from the start. The revised flagship is also aimed at autonomous drivers and, most importantly, in the case of the A8 L Horch, for owners who prefer drivers. “Cars in the luxury class are not traditional cauffeur- driven sedans for us across all markets. Accordingly, the vehicle is configured in a more dynamic way,” says Dlab. All-wheel steering, for example, makes the Audi A8 urban-friendly. By incorporating innovative chassis components, it can cover the entire range – from the velvety roll of a luxury sedan to the dynamic taut handling of a sports car. That’s where the A8’s expected active suspension comes into play. A high-tech system that works with the air suspension can release or depress each wheel individually using electromechanical actuators. Active suspension actively controls the body in every driving situation, dramatically reducing body roll and body roll during acceleration and braking.
The A8 remains the flagship
“One thing is absolutely clear: the A8 is the vehicle that drives innovation at Audi,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development. “We do everything we can to always introduce the newest technology in the A8 first and then in other series and segments.