Luxury sedan digital

Following a facelift and the addition of innovative technologies, the 2022 version of the Audi A8 not only boasts a commanding presence, progressive character and sporty elegance but also promises to lead the pack in the luxury segment. High-end head and tail lights catch the eye and imagination, refreshing the front and rear design as well as adding innovative functions. In the interior, intuitive operation and attractive infotainment make their compelling mark. Technological advances are also the order of the day in the assistance systems and predictive active suspension.

The latest Audi A8 design update once again ups the ante to deliver an even more stately, commanding and athletic machine. Stretched wider, the new Singleframe grille features a chrome grid whose many facets gradually increase in size from the base upwards. Other aesthetic tweaks include the more upright positioning of the side air inlets and the bottom edge of the redesigned headlights, which extends into a striking curve.

The tech behind the digital Matrix LED headlights and OLED rear lights is especially arresting on the new-look Audi A8. In the front, the digital matrix LED headlights use digital micromirror device (DMD) technology, similar to video projectors. Each headlight comprises some 1.3 million micromirrors that refract the rays into tiny pixels, thus ensuring high-precision light control. This is the basis for functions such as the lane and orientation lights that are designed for use on motorways and illuminate the driver’s lane in especially bright light. When unlocking and exiting the car, the digital Matrix LED headlights can cast projections onto floors or walls. This is known as the dynamic coming home/leaving home animations.

At the rear, the Audi A8 features a continuous, segmented light strip paired with digital organic light emitting diodes (OLED) fitted as standard. When configuring the Audi A8, customers can choose between two rear light signatures. On top of that, whoever opts for the Audi drive select mode “dynamic” enjoys an additional one created exclusively for this mode. Likewise featuring coming home and leaving home animations, the digital OLED tail lights also integrate with the assistance systems to perform another special function – proximity detection. If a road user comes within less than two metres of a stationary Audi A8 car’s rear end, all of the OLED segments will light up within the system limits¹.

To underscore the spaciousness and pared-back design idiom of the generous lounge, the Audi A8 sedan’s interior architecture is consistently structured along horizontal lines. While the optional ambient lighting package plus elegantly sets the mood in the interior, the rear is equipped with Matrix LED reading lights.

Although there is a wide array of digital equipment in the interior of the Audi A8 sedan, displays and operation controls adhere to visually subtle, intuitive design principles. On top of its two displays, the MMI touch response operating concept features a natural language control system that activates when hailed with a “Hey Audi!” As an optional extra, the all-digital Audi virtual cockpit can be rounded out with a head-up display that provides information directly in the driver’s line of sight. The navigation comes with standard online and Car2X services from Audi connect.

Thanks to the OLED touch display on the rear seat remote control unit, which is permanently integrated into the centre console, passengers in the rear of the Audi A8 have comfort and infotainment functions at their fingertips. The front seat backrests are fitted with new, full-HD displays that not only play back content from occupants’ end devices but can also receive various audio and video streams from well-known streaming platforms or TV media libraries.

The refreshed Audi A8 offers some 40 driver assistance systems. While certain technologies – such as the Audi pre sense basic and Audi pre sense front safety systems – come as standard, others are available through optional packages or individually, as is the case with the night vision assistant and the 360-degree cameras. Remote park assist plus makes life especially easy by autonomously manoeuvring the Audi A8 into and out of parallel and bay parking spaces. The driver doesn’t even need to be in the vehicle at the time¹.

An engineering highlight on the revamped Audi A8 is the predictive active suspension. Thanks to electric motors that apply the necessary force to raise or lower each wheel individually, the system can actively adjust the body’s height under any driving conditions. Within system limits, the front camera on the Audi A8 sedan detects road surface irregularities at an early stage and predictively controls – i.e. anticipates – the necessary changes in suspension. Even before the car hits a bump, the control function signals the actuators to correct the positioning travel and actively adjust the suspension. This complex process is performed in mere milliseconds.

Audi drive select allows the driver to pick and choose from various modes.

• Dynamic mode shows off the Audi A8 sedan’s sporty side. The Audi A8 turns firmly into corners, the roll angle remains low and the body barely pitches under braking.
• Comfort+ mode puts Audi A8 occupants on easy street as the car smoothly floats over rough surfaces. The upshot is a reduction in body movements that almost fully compensates for irregularities, such as long road undulations. Another noteworthy feature is the integrated body inclination function, which minimizes forces on passengers resulting from lateral acceleration. On entering a corner, it raises the body on the outer edge of the curve and lowers it on the other side. At speeds between 80 and 130 kilometres per hour and g-forces from lateral acceleration of up to 0.4, cornering is hardly noticeable.

With the predictive active suspension, the updated Audi A8 offers a fascinating spectrum of driving experiences.