When gadgets and cars collide: The new Audi A8
By The Prodigal Fool, published on 17 December 2009
If you’re into gadgets (and we are) or cars (and we are), then Audi’s new A8 simply can’t help but tickle your fancy. Sure, it’s no secret that we’re disappointed by the way it looks but as further details emerge about Audi’s upcoming uber-saloon, we can’t help but warm to it.
The A8 will be the first car to feature Google Earth maps built into its navigation system. Useful? OK, not really but mighty cool to geeks like us.
In additon to an on-screen keyboard, the Audi’s navigation system also has handwriting recognition: using the stylus you can simply write where you want to go.
Oh, and did we mention that it has its own internet connection and Wi-Fi network? That’s right, a built-in 3G connection which the car then shares via Wi-Fi means you’re always online and from any device you choose. But if you’re planning to read www.TheProdigalGuide.com while doing 150 mph on the authobahn, we humbly suggest that you leave the driving to someone else.
Navigation with Google Earth, handwriting recognition and its own internet connection not blowing your skirt up? No problem, let’s move on to the sound system. The A8 come with a 19-speaker sound system from Bang & Olufsen. The little Danish beast pumps out 1400 watts of audio delight.
Are you warming up? OK, then let’s throw just a few more details at you: the steering wheel comes with a vibration-cancelling motor and the seats have both hot and cold massage functionality.
The killer shot for us is the heads-up display with night vision. Is has something Audi are calling ‘intelligent pedestrian detection’ software that determines whether or not you’re at risk of hitting anything or rather anyone.
Yes, there’s no doubt about it, we’re suckers for a little gadgetry in our cars. So, dear Audi A8, you may be a boring, rather derivative looker but you sure have the technology to get us hot and bothered. Consider us impressed.
When gadgets and cars collide: The new Audi A8
If you’re into gadgets (and we are) or cars (and we are), then Audi’s new A8 simply can’t help but tickle your fancy. Sure, it’s no secret that we’re disappointed by the way it looks but as further details emerge about Audi’s upcoming uber-saloon, we can’t help but warm to it. The A8 will be the [...]
2 Responses to “When gadgets and cars collide: The new Audi A8”
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[...] we’re talking gadgets, we’d be remiss not to mention the incredible technology that Audi have crammed into its latest A8. Surely, a geek’s only possible choice of [...]
Straight-Six
21 December 2009
Sure, sure, you can all tell that The Prodigal Fool has a thing for twiddling. Um, knobs that is. Ahem, anyways!
I’ll pass making any comment on what the new A8 comes loaded with given I can’t get past the non-descript looks, but I will say this about the pop-up sat-nav screen: why can’t it just be integrated neatly and nicely into the dash design? Audi aren’t the only guilty parties here, as Volvo, BMW and others do the same.
It strikes me as unnecessary and downright unpleasant to have your dashboard suffer the indignities of a large monolithic screen rising out of it and remaining stuck there during operation like the prop from 2001 Space Odyssey. I mean really…!