Augmented reality

The Stage is set – literally – for a new generation of outstanding interior innovation from a brand with a well-deserved reputation for excellence in interiors. The all-new Digital Stage concept in the Q6 e-tron models, represents an exciting evolution of Audi’s interior design language, integrating large screens into the dash area so that they form part of the design as well as keeping the driver and front passenger up-to-date on vehicle systems, navigation and infotainment.

Obviously keeping an overview of relevant driving information for the one behind the wheel is essential in all situations, and the new Digital Stage does so in such a way as to minimise the time a driver’s eyes need be diverted from the road ahead to check the likes of speed, navigation and other essential vehicle information.

While the key components of the Digital Stage are the Audi MMI panoramic display and the MMI passenger display, there is another display in the Q6 e-tron, which is soon to arrive in Australia – the Augmented Reality Head-up-Display.“The new second-generation Augmented Reality Head-up-Display is a feature that makes ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ – what Audi stands for – literally 

visible,” explains Tobias Muhr from Audi Product Marketing, who was responsible for implementing the AR HuD. 

The technology, he says, was already considered during the conceptualisation of the Audi Q6 e-tron series and other PPE models. 

“That was important. The complex system requires a certain amount of space. Only our new fully electric models provide that,” says Muhr.

The display reflects a large inclined image plane over the windscreen and shows relevant information such as speed, traffic signs, assistance and navigation symbols. The image plane is tilted forward to enhance the augmented reality effect and through this approach and the high virtual image distance, it creates the impression that the displayed elements float up to 200 metres ahead of the car and interact directly with elements in the environment. 

“Instead of visually overlaying the bonnet, the image in our AR HuD is positioned higher, enriching the road ahead with information,” says Muhr.

The ‘Field of View’ for augmented reality content corresponds to a diagonal of about 223cm from the driver’s perspective and is based on a Digital Light Processor (DLP). The processor, roughly the size of a fingernail, contains up to 1.3 million square micromirrors, with each of these mirrors measuring just eight microns along each edge. For comparison, the diameter of a red blood cell is approximately eight microns. 

These tiny mirrors tilt up to 5000 times per second to reflect or absorb light pulses, creating a brilliant image in the driver’s field of view.

The displayed information is exceptionally high-contrast, sharp, and above all bright. The system achieves a brightness of up to 13,500 nits, while very bright current smartphone displays reach only about 1000 to 2000 nits. 

“This makes the system a great help, especially in strong sunlight or darkness, to make driving more comfortable and increase safety,” says Muhr.

For navigation instructions, for example, the turning arrow is placed exactly where the turn is and for driver assistance topics, distance warnings are displayed directly in the field of view and in relation to the critical event.
But this optional AR head-up display in the Audi Q6 e-tron also offers an entertaining extra. “We’ve added an Easter Egg – if you stay seated in the vehicle during charging, you can activate two games via the MMI,” reveals Muhr. Instead of driving information, 3D game graphics then appear in the HuD, and a space glider can be steered through an obstacle course using the paddle shifters and accelerator and brake pedals. And this, too, in impressive sharpness and brightness.