Not all manufacturers are satisfied for the so-called journalists' workshop-tours "- tours of the production and research workshops. But this is a fascinating immersion into the world of automotive engineering. This time the focus of attention was the new Audi A3. That's just to get to the factory secrets have to pass at the entrance to all cameras and cell phones, armed with a notebook and pen. What lurks in the Audi in Ingolstadt?
The new "treshka" was presented at the recent Geneva Motor Show. The third generation model of radical change from the previous design is not observed. But if the "second» A3 has evolved over the "first" mainly in terms of design and quality, the current "treshka" jumped into another dimension just through new technologies for on-board electronics. The message today is: the car must be integrated into its immediate surroundings.
To do this, to Ingolstadt Audi developed a multimedia system Connest - it's embedded in the family system on board MMI, the Audi A3 first ever installed. Until now, technology to work inside the car, for example, an audio system takes into account the testimony of the vehicle speed and adjust the volume according to speed. And the ABS system in your computer case, announced to the difference of pressure in the tires (so runs the majority of such systems), sensors, light rain and light command and "wipers" and so on. Now go outside of technology, making the car not only closed "body", as part of a technological society.
Under the latter should be understood as smart phones, web sites, social networks, file servers and other devices and resources that can "tie" into a single information space. The efforts of Audi engineers focused just on the fact that the car was part of such an environment. Who introduced the first phase of the conditional: this link car with smartphones to send not only voice but also other information (phonebook, pictures, music, video), the output of the vehicle in the Internet (including the organization inside the local wi-fi points) and downloading from the network updates - what gadget today without the opportunity to fill a fresh "firmware"?!
The second phase has not yet occurred, and requires the efforts of not only the Audi electronics and technology partners, but also many other individuals - such as mobile operators or owners of infrastructure. It includes three layer communication: car infrastructure, vehicle-vehicle and vehicle service. The first is a sort of advanced "points of interest» (POI) navigation system, for example, not getting out from behind the wheel, you can find the nearest motel and book a room there or book a table at a restaurant near the Vietnamese cuisine. The second layer is even more interesting - you no longer have to navigate a rapidly aging "Chekin" friends on Facebook - the right people are in real time on screen navigation system, due to the fact that cars will be able to find each other, communicate and find each other the shortest routes.
However, this service will not start tomorrow, or even the next day: Audi today is only active negotiations with key partners - Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Companies are trying to create a single standard and test it on the first concepts.Representatives of Audi predicts the appearance of the first production model with an extended "sociability" in five years, next-generation A3. And finally, the relationship with the car service will not only fill in time cards fresh navigation, but also to more serious updates - for example, "firmware" ECU or gearbox. Lost at the traffic lights? Enter details of your credit and your turbine "zaduet" with a vengeance by the next intersection! This is not a dream - instant chip tuning at a distance?
In Ingolstadt believe that electronics should provide comfort in a way to relax and work without leaving behind the wheel, as well as to freely navigate the environment infrastructure. A separate item - driving pleasure. To perform these tasks today in the Audi Connect has the following features rather commonplace for these days: the weather, news, wi-fi, music and navigation. But with the fall of these services are complemented by new, far more exciting: this will be expanded news feeds, integration with social networks Facebook and Twitter with built-in client, an interactive calendar of planes and trains, as well as a complete map of petrol stations, showing only those refueling, to suit specific vehicle. But if you look closely, there is nothing revolutionary in the above is not present: the presence on board a full-fledged browser, all the rest - only a shell, designed to simplify the user life. As well as increasing competition devices around us - so soon the question "where in the morning to check the mail, with a refrigerator door or the passenger compartment is heated (by the way, details of heating - below) of the car?" Does not seem so strange.
The computer that controls all of this functionality, is located in the interior of the front panel for the "glove compartment" and is based on a chip, Nvidia Tegra2, which is put into modern smartphones and tablets. The operating system called QNX, and is used not only in Audi, but in many embedded systems in other areas. All system management concisely focused on the central tunnel, and the main controller is krutilki MMI. It can not only rotate or push, but also drive a finger on the touch field on the upper surface of the puck. This recognizes the excellent writing pad input, including in the Cyrillic alphabet - we have seen this personally. The text is convenient to introduce a right-handed and left-handers. The problem with the entry exists only in Japan, which is unacceptable to write with his left hand - against lefties in this country are still frequent the various prejudices.
Show off their ultra-modern electronic communications in the field, representatives of Audi switched to the story of the driver assistance systems. The main news is that earlier a similar set of assistants was available only for a couple of classes above the cars, and now Audi offers them and the golf segment. Judge for yourself. During the park system of 12 sensors, the radar creates a picture of the obstacles to the full 360 degrees around the vehicle and displays it graphically on the display. In addition, working color rear view camera. And the automatic parking, turn the steering wheel itself, built on A3 both parallel and perpendicular.
Recognition system and the on-screen navigation of road signs while running through the built-in salon mirror camera and a database of nautical charts. Agree, the ability to read the car additional characters (such as a sign of a wet road, which operates the speed limit) and compare this information with on-board sensors (with the same rain sensor to figure out whether a trademark is valid at the moment) looks cool, especially for the model Class "C". List of electronic aides continue already familiar from other models of the tracking system for "dead zones" and help in changing lanes, as well as monitoring the condition of the driver at speeds exceeding 60 km / h - the latter determines the fatigue, considering not only the manner of driving, but also the time of the day and other factors.
If the above seem sufficient to A3 can be ordered a little helpers - for example, a tracking system for marking, which automatically turns a small taxis, or adaptive cruise control, running at speeds of 30 - 200 km / h and excellent druzhaschy system start-stop . But that's not all: the trust of many electronics in the field of security. The system of training in a collision has two versions: the base Audi Pre Sense Basic corny tightens seat belts and close the windows and sunroof, and advanced Audi Pre Sense Front operates as much in three stages. First, the car lights and sound alerts the driver of the danger, "drawing in" parallel to the brake, then an alarm is amplified and applied braking power up to 35% of the maximum, as in the case of a severe brake are utilized is 60%, and behind the vehicle in alarm is served on a part-time situation. Finally, the A3 will be available to secure automatic braking system after the collision - it is designed to prevent serious accidents, which are often followed by a slight touch from the fact that the driver was at a loss or other reasons, could not stop in time.
I was able to sit in a special demo cockpit and study in detail the interior of the new "three-ruble bills." The main theme - minimalist. What's on the front panel, center console, which is a little button, but to control all functions with user-friendly.Interest continues in the brevity of the instrument panel. Now, round dials, not four as before, but only two: the secondary indexes moved into the unoccupied area of the tachometer scales - this is useful and original. Another cool part - the climate system baffles new design. They can be not only the traditional open-close and direct air flow, but also to do the latter with full or diffused - it needs to draw on a central control kruglyashi deflector. The tolerances of accuracy in the design of the 23 parts of 0.01 mm! The final touch: even a "perforated" structure grid of speakers at the lower edge of the windshield carefully designed so that the edges of the items turned out sloppy "scraps" round holes!
Subject of quality at all deserves special attention. There is no subjectivity can not resist the fact that the interior of the Audi A3 conceived and built to a very high level. This is evident in how quickly and quietly leaves the display MMI, colors and materials in the cabin, in the sounds that emit all moving parts. Do you know, for example, that the Audi is strictly monitored to ensure that all models have the same corporate color chrome? And for the colors and materials meet an army of employees, for example, some experts has watched countless color combinations in a special light installation to simulate different lighting conditions. It is necessary to ensure the absolute stability of the color - if you do not, then there are embarrassments: In the morning you'll be delighted with the lemon hue chairs, and at night she can recall the notorious children's surprise. Close attention is paid to every detail - from having rested in the sound-limiting sliding armrest cover up the gaps between the elements of the knob lever transmission. I must say that clicks in the cabin, looking surprised all the really cool, and the thrill of feeling the interior above all expectations.
The mechanical part of the new "treshki" a little less interesting, because as with most units we have more or less familiar. At the start of sales it will be engines TFSI 1.4 and 1.8, respectively, capacity 122 and 180 forces, as well as two-liter 150-strong turbodiesel. All units are equipped with a turbo and make friends with technology start-stop (saves up to 0.3 liters of fuel per 100 km). Now, not only diesel but also petrol engines deployed exhaust manifold (by the way, integrated in the cylinder head) towards the stern, thus shortening the front overhang by 40 mm and the same amount to move forward the front axle. This gave a better weight distribution and help designers to create a silhouette. The most powerful Today A3 (1.8 TFSI) gaining 100 km / h in 7.2 seconds, and the most economical (2.0 TDI) consumes just 4.1 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. The engines are combined with a 6-step "mechanics" or with the 7-step "robot» S tronic.Later there will be other engines, including the 140-strong version of the engine 1.4 TFSI, which turns off half the cylinders (I tried this during the test pyatidverki A1 Sportback ), engines running on gas, more powerful engines, economical 1.6-liter diesel consumption of 3.8 liters per 100 kilometers, as well as all-wheel drive versions.
A related topic - "cold" nature of the engine 1.4 TSI. We have specifically held that the test engine in cold conditions rassviripevshih our winters - in February, Arrow test Octavia with this engine moved from the spot only after 12 minutes after launch, and the operating temperature of the left in general only a half hour city driving! But it turns out, the Germans improved the unit. For faster engine warm exhaust manifold both petrol engines is now merged with the head of the engine and its exhaust gas heating provides heat the coolant. Also in the cooling system includes two new valves, redistributive flows of antifreeze in a way that is achieved by an accelerated set of engine operating temperature.
Finally, the last lecture of specialists Audi - on a diet process. Since 1994, when the first generation A8 sedan with aluminum body Audi Space Frame, Audi has already produced 700,000 cars with this technology. At present, all-aluminum R8, and remain a model A8 (except for the B-pillar in the latter), the bodies TT winged metal around two-thirds, and the A6 - fifth. The new A3 also boasts an all-aluminum construction, but measures to reduce the mass grave were conducted, including those due to the "winged metal". It is used to make the front wings and bonnet, bumper amplifier, as well as some power of the vehicle. The result - a new car, built on a modular platform, MQB, tricked out with all its easier to previous 80 kilograms.
Of course, the struggle is won not only the weight by the body: the engines eased the "innards" of the exhaust system, attachments, in a chassis made of aluminum sub-frame (just minus 6 pounds, by the way), and 18-inch wheels, thanks to a special technology manufacture, weigh no more than "seventeenth." The interior of pounds "found" in their seats, air-conditioning system, wiring and even shumovibroizolyatsii sex! One of the mottos of designers in creating this model was the "right stuff in the right place!". As a result, MMI display frame is made of magnesium instead of steel screws are used special lightweight plastic caps. These measures provide some programs, but all together they form a solid mass of weight savings.
Excursion to the laboratory Audi engineers really impressed, even though that technology is as always behind the ideas.However, after meeting with the secrets of the new Audi A3 I pursued an obsession. With the technology we replace live communication surrogates, whether SMS, tweet or post on Facebook. Why call and ask, got a flight, if you can just rotate the puck MMI? Why dial the number. to ask "how are you?" and "where are you?" if the screen of the same MMI everything is displayed in two clicks? A friend can enjoy success by simply putting a husky with a convenient touch panel. But this is a problem not Audi. In which are able to make a hand stretched out over and over again for a pleasant little rough kruglyashi touchpad.
