Automotive Engineer

Audi's next-generation A3 premium compact will be the first model to use the firm's latest infotainment system.

The technology's flexible electronic architecture means that the board which mounts the chips can be upgraded whenever new processors reach the market. Until now it has been extremely hard for the automotive industry to keep pace with innovations in consumer electronics.

Audi said: “The high-performance plug-in module integrates – along with the memory – the latest Tegra processor from Nvidia. It's responsible for all voice control, online, media, navigation and phone functions. The new modular layout makes it easy to update the hardware because the board can be replaced.”

Chip maker Nvidia's Tegra T 20 is a dual-core processor running at 1.2GHz, which will enhance playback of media formats such as mp3 audio and mpeg4 video. Later this year, Audi will introduce the Tegra 30 processor, which runs at 1.4GHz.

The infotainment system is accessed via the latest generation of Audi's rotary pushbutton controller which, for the first time, has a handwriting recognition touchpad integrated into the upper surface.

Connecting mobiles to the vehicle is easier too. A so-called phone box in the centre armrest features a universal planar antenna which links to the phone via near-field coupling. Signals are sent and received via the vehicle antenna.