In the future, the car will be a technological object that will allow its user to always be online, even during the march. Audi Connect is the technology that seeks to connect the real world with digital.
Audi Connect 's most immediate applications is the development of smartphones applications that will allow the vehicle to be configured and managed remotely. These functions will take special importance in future E-Tron electric propulsion models, making it possible for the driver to check the battery charge status, or even plan the vehicle's recharges from his phone in his displacements.
The new data transfer networks at high speed, communication between vehicles and greater integration of them with the infrastructure have great potential to achieve a safer and fluid traffic.
The mobile telephony standard LTE
The mobile telephony network is a decisive factor for car interconnection. In most countries, mobile data transfer is carried out through existing UMTS networks (UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). Currently, this mobile phone standard is in its third generation (3G) that allows a transfer rate of up to 28.8 Mbit per second.
However, Audi is committed to the fourth -generation mobile telephony standard called LTE (Long term evolution). The new network allows a data transfer of up to 150 mbit/s in decrease and response times much shorter. In both European countries and in the US, there are already commercial networks of LTE, and in Germany the LTE standard is already active in some large cities and in many rural areas.
LTE technology also allows vehicle passengers to run several applications simultaneously in their mobile terminals, connected to the vehicle through the Hotspot WLAN. A companion can, for example, participate in a videoconference while another watch a video. In addition, you can establish more quick contact with the official Audi service to transmit software updates to the vehicle.
Audi aspires to be the first car manufacturer to fully integrate the LTE standard. LTE technology will be introduced in the range of models already throughout this year 2013.
Audi Connect communication will provide a perfect relationship between the vehicle and the environment anticipating the driving of the future thanks to the possibility of connecting the vehicles and transport infrastructure.
Car-to-X communication offers a safer, more relaxed and cheaper driving. For example, with the traffic light assistant the vehicle communicates with the infrastructure and the system indicates to the driver the right speed to circulate to find the following green traffic light. In addition, the system can indicate the missing time for a traffic light to change from red to green. In urban sections, this functionality allows a more fluid driving style, contributing to reduce fuel consumption.
With the local danger information system it will be possible that cars that are interconnected can be mutually noticed with an emergency, or notify another user of any incidence such as an ice plate, the presence of another vehicle damaged in the shoulder or even cars that circulate in a transverse direction at crosses.
The automatic payment function will offer the possibility of paying online both when refusing fuel and parking the vehicle in a parking lot. The vehicle is communicated by mobile telephony with the corresponding fixed devices at the service station or in the parking lot, and the rate is automatically charged from the credit card or from the customer account, after confirmation by the user from the MMI system of the vehicle, thus saving time and increasing comfort.
In addition, Lo-to-X communication has enormous potential for real-time dissemination of traffic information. Like Audi's online traffic information, it informs the driver about traffic density on the selected route, although the use of WLAN communication in the car allows even more precise and more recent data.
For the implementation of the CAR-TO-X technology, the mobile phone network can be used to send the vehicle data anonymously to a central back-end. Once there, the data is processed separately and the result is sent to the different vehicles.
Another of the techniques to use Lo-to-X is to make a direct data transfer from one vehicle to another Wlan Automotive, a special WLAN variant used by all manufacturers.
The new technology allows to create an interconnected network in a fast, spontaneous and decentralized way.
Assistance and driver's help systems
The mobility connected in Network will allow Audi Connect in the future to offer new driver assistance systems, and expand the functions of existing existing ones.
Audi already works at the Garage Parking Pilot, a piloted parking system with which a user can check the availability of free places in the parkings closest to their destination using the navigation system, select any additional service on the MMI system screen and issue a signal from its smartphone so that a central control unit establishes WLAN wireless contact with the vehicle with the vehicle and manages the entire process.
The vehicle will automatically go to the assigned square using radar sensors and video cameras to read the journey. To recover his vehicle again the driver only has to use his smartphone again and make a call to the garage equipment, indicating that they activate the shipment of their vehicle to the exit point, which can even be programmed at a certain hour.
The connection between vehicles will play a very important role in the field of piloted driving, it will release the driver from the tasks of accelerating or stopping in dense traffic situations.
To the information received from the sensors and cameras of the vehicle, the data of the vehicles with which the road is shared, for example so that the system reacts more in advance before a vehicle that is incorporated or wishes to leave the lane through which it is circulates.
