After the popularization of autonomous driving, Audi Grandsphere attempts to create a contactless first-class cabin

Following the release of the Audi Skysphere concept car on August 11, the Audi Grandsphere concept car was officially launched in the early morning of September 3 (Beijing time). The car is the second of three "Sphere" series concept cars used by Audi to showcase its vision of electric luxury future and will be officially unveiled at the 2021 IAA exhibition opening next week.

The goal of the Audi Grandsphere concept car is to create a "first-class cabin of the future" and give front-seat passengers more space.

The Audi Grandsphere concept car has a body length of 5.35m and a wheelbase of 3.19m, which even exceeds the current Audi A8L. How to make such a large car more comfortable?

The solution given by Audi engineers is: with the support of L4 autonomous driving technology, the interior of the cockpit is transformed into a spacious experience space. Without a steering wheel, pedals or display, the front seats will become a "first-class lounge". Passengers can have the largest riding space, a freer field of vision, and can use a complete digital ecosystem.

Therefore, the Grandsphere concept car, like the previous Skysphere concept car, also uses a retractable steering wheel.

Audi officials said that the Grandsphere concept car not only frees the driver from driving tasks as much as possible, but also provides a wide range of choices for everyone in the car, allowing them to have a personalized car experience, whether for communication or entertainment, work or rest, turning future cars from a means of transportation into an "experience device."

When designing the Grandsphere concept car, engineers believed that the drive system and handling of the new generation of cars are no longer the primary factors to be considered. Therefore, the starting point of the design of the Grandsphere concept car is the cockpit, that is, the space where passengers live and experience during the journey. All new ideas are developed around the cockpit, and then the appearance of the vehicle.

The Grandsphere concept car adopts a double-door design and does not have a B-pillar like traditional cars. Once the passenger gets on the car, the entire "cockpit world" will be completely open to him.

The moment the passengers get on the car, the Grandsphere concept car automatically confirms the seat position of the driver and passengers through innovative recognition technology, and adjusts a series of personalized comfort settings for each seat, such as air-conditioning temperature, seat angle, etc.

At the same time, the infotainment system will also synchronize the content recently used by the passengers and seamlessly connect them in the car. For example, the video played on the tablet by the passenger will automatically play on the display screen in the car.

For large luxury cars, the traditional "boss seat" is in the back row, but in the Grandsphere concept car, it will be moved to the front row. The wide front windshield and windows not only provide a perfect view, but also further enhance the sense of space.

Especially when the two independent front seats are moved back, the riding space appears to be particularly spacious. Of course, the Grandsphere concept car adopts a "2+2" seat layout, and the rear seat is an integrated large sofa with armrests that wrap around the side.

The lines of the two front seats have been optimized for different uses. When in the upright position, they can perfectly fit the lines of the human body and provide a good sense of support. When the backrest is tilted 40°, passengers can use the infotainment system very relaxingly. When the backrest is put back 60°, it will reach a position that is very suitable for rest.

When adjusting the seat and air conditioning temperature, you can control it through the knob on the car door.

The latest innovation is that this knob also supports gesture control, so even if you don’t touch it, you can still operate it by rotating it. By the way, not only the control knob, but also the steering wheel of the Grandsphere concept car can be extended through gestures.

Between the front seats, there is an onboard "water bar" with two glasses and an elegantly designed "tap". Want a cool, icy drink? Just pick up the glass and fill it up at any time.

The designers believe that this is an iconic configuration of the Grandsphere concept car, which can be called the "first-class cabin of the future."

In terms of digital configuration, people who first sit in the Grandsphere concept car will find that there is no popular large screen here. Instead, there are large areas of wood trim, and the interior decoration is composed of wool, metal, and synthetic fabrics. However, there is no leather in the car to highlight its sustainable concept.

Wait! Didn’t we just say that the Grandsphere concept car has an infotainment system? And its screen can also sync the content on the passenger’s tablet?

This is because the "screen" of the Grandsphere concept car does not use a traditional self-luminous touch screen, but is projected on a wooden panel. Therefore, before activating this function, you can't see any traditional screen in the car.

Depending on the driving status, the "projection screen" can fill the entire center console, or it can display independent content in segments for the driver and front passenger. All the information needed during travel can be presented in a high-resolution and accurately readable manner.

As for the operation of the "projection screen", it is also achieved through gesture control. There is a sensor bar below the projection surface, where the control elements of the MMI contactless sensing system are arranged. If the front passenger sits relatively far back in the automatic driving mode, they only need to operate it through gestures without touching any buttons.

What's even more fantastic is that this gesture control system is also combined with an eye tracking system. The eye sensor can monitor the driver's line of sight, thereby achieving control of the infotainment system.

Of course, in order to meet the needs of different users, the Grandsphere concept car also retains voice interaction and contact control.

In terms of the drive system, the Grandsphere concept car is equipped with an electric motor on each of the front and rear axles, and achieves all-wheel drive through the coordination of the electronic control device. The two electric motors can provide a total output power of 530kW, a maximum torque of up to 960Nm, and an acceleration of 0-100km/h takes less than 5s.

The Grandsphere concept car is equipped with a 120kWh power battery with a maximum range of 750km.

Thanks to the 800V fast charging technology, it only takes 10 minutes to replenish enough power for a 300km ride, and in less than 25 minutes, the battery can be charged from 5% to 80%.

Through the two "Sphere" series concept cars that have been released, we can see that Audi is exploring different new technologies in different categories.

The previously released Skysphere concept car is a large convertible sports car with a variable wheelbase and a large screen as its core attractions. The Grandsphere concept car is a large luxury sedan with a cabin made of sustainable materials and two cool black technologies: gesture control and projection screen.

After a series of new technologies have been put into use, the future of travel has gradually become clearer. Of course, the new technologies are still in the exploration stage, and the development of multiple brands is also conducive to finding the route that best suits needs.

In 2022, the third and final concept car in the "Sphere" series, Urbansphere, will also be launched. By then, Audi's vision of the future of electric luxury will be fully presented.

We will continue to pay attention to what new technologies Audi will showcase at the 2021 IAA.