Audi concept envisions future of travel
Electric behemoth intended to feel like a luxurious home away from home on the road
The German behemoth that is Audi continues to roll out concept vehicles focused squarely on the future, following up the Skysphere and Grandsphere concept cars with the Urbansphere concept, unveiled today in Ingolstadt, Germany.
This spellcheck-vexing concept is intended to envision a future of urban travel (hence its prefix) and aims to explore different in-vehicle experiences which may become part of the urban travel equation in years to come. The spacious cabin is said to act as a lounge on wheels or a mobile office, serving as a third living space during the time spent in traffic. Its aim is to provide a sanctuary in urban places where personal space can be in short supply. The brand says this car has the largest interior of any Audi to date.
“In order to meet the demands of our Chinese customers, Audi's design studios in Beijing and Ingolstadt worked together closely to jointly develop the Audi urbansphere concept car,” said Markus Duesmann, Audi's Chairman of the Board Management and responsible for the Chinese market. For the first time, potential customers in China could also take part in the development process.
As one would expect, based on the other two “sphere” concept vehicles, the Urbansphere is based on Level 4 autonomous driving technology. As such, readers will notice a distinct absence of a steering wheel, pedals, or displays in some driving configurations. Jetsons-age tech such as this is a world away from what's currently available on production cars (or even in the near term) but it's clear that automakers are prepared to flex their muscles in this area through gee-whiz visions of what this type of gear could accomplish. Audi states it is working with CARIAD, Volkswagen Group's software business, and plans to introduce this technology within the second half of the decade.
In terms of the car itself, the Urbansphere might be intended for urban environments, but its dimensions are nowhere near those of diminutive city cars. It is the largest model in the “sphere” family, stretching 5.51 metres (18 feet) long, 2.01 metres (6.6 feet) wide, and 1.78 metres (5.8 feet) high. To put that in perspective, it is well over a foot longer than the behemoth Audi Q7 SUV. This partially explains the palatial amount of space in its cabin, but the real star is its wheelbase of 3.40 metres (11.2 feet). This relative lack of wheel intrusion into the interior, combined with freedom to bin traditional items needed for driving, creates what Audi calls “ample space as a distinctive comfort factor.”
In other words, if luxury is defined by space and light, then the Urbansphere could be considered one of the world's most luxurious spaces — automobile or otherwise. To start, eliminating the B-pillar permits this concept's doors to be counter-hinged at the front and the rear, creating a wide-open space for entry. Seats swivel outward and a lighting signature welcomes would-be passengers. Once inside, they'll find four seats in two rows, with chairs in the rear offering particularly generous dimensions and a wide range of adjustment options. A neat twist on the traditional automotive experience means there are different modes for passenger comfort, instead of varying driving modes. Relax and Entertain modes permit the backrest to be tilted up to 60 degrees while leg rests extend at the same time. There are centre-mounted armrests integrated into the sides of the seats, and these thrones can be swivelled toward each other for those occasions you're talking to your spouse or plotting the next hostile takeover.
Concepts cars generally offer some kernel of sorta-maybe production features. While the gonzo approach to autonomy may not happen overnight, we can absolutely see the idea of passenger comfort modes being integrated into some of Audi's high-end rides sooner rather than later. Even novel ideas like stress detection, which uses facial scans to determine if you're worrying about the economy or the Leaf's playoff chances, and then offers personalized suggestions for relaxation, are not totally off-the-wall and could very easily pop up in an A8 executive sedan at some point in the future.
There are ample screens, of course, along with a “touchless response” interface that permits the use of traditional dials and switches when a passenger is seated upright, but also responds to gestures when the passenger is lying down after a hard day at corporate headquarters. Control panels abound, and VR glasses are provided should passengers feel the need to escape the real world even more than the Urbansphere's interior already permits.
Its drive system is said to be based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which was designed exclusively for battery-electric drive systems and takes full advantage of all the benefits of this technology. A 120-kWh flat battery pack lives under the floor and wholly between the wheels, while its two electric motors are capable of delivering a total output of nearly 400 horsepower and a system torque of approximately 510 lb-ft. This setup provides permanent all-wheel drive, with the computer meting out power as required in an attempt to balance power and efficiency. Audi expects such a system to provide a total all-electric driving range of up to 750 kilometres. An air suspension would keep things comfortable in the urban jungle and rear-wheel steering would allow good manoeuvrability.
While these three “sphere” concept cars are not production-ready, they do certainly permit designers and engineers to play with and imagine a future of motoring, one that is rapidly approaching. Not all the gee-whiz features shown here will pop up in production cars, but some might and, as ever-evolving gearheads, we're eager to see what's next.