The All New Audi A8 Got Improved Cameras For A Smooth Ride

In a packed convention hall in Barcelona, Audi unveiled its flagship luxury sedan, the fourth-generation 2019 A8.

When it’s launched on July 11, the new A8 will be far and away the most technologically advanced Audi model ever.

A plug-in hybrid version of the A8 mated to a 3.0-liter V-6 gasoline engine will provide 31 miles (50 km) of pure electric driving, Audi said.

The A8’s front fascia has been overhauled, as Audi has dropped the rectangular grille for a wider hexagonal design, reshaped both the front and rear bumpers and added more defined accent marks to the hood. The side reveals a swooping roof line and a lengthened silhouette. The automaker may be going all in on Level 3, but it hinted at the ability to update the new A8 to Level 4 capabilities via a software update – if the hardware can handle it. Audi has got the HD Matrix LED headlamps along with laser lights. At its center is a 10.1-inch touchscreen display which, when off, blends nearly invisibly into the high-gloss black surround thanks to its black-panel look. This means the new A8 can coast with the engine switched off and restart smoothly when required.

The loss of Audi’s MMI controller knob is somewhat concerning since it is one of the better systems on the market, but we’ll hold final judgment until we get to drive the A8. All of the buttons seem laid out well and the graphics look crisp, though we wonder how well it will work, as touchscreens in cars are never great, as drivers have to avert their eyes to use them. Information on destinations and media is either available on board or is delivered from the cloud at 4G LTE speed.

According to Lichte, the Audi A8 will feature a future design language. In addition to radar sensors, a front camera, and Ultrasonic sensors, Audi is the first brand to use a laser scanner. The 2019 model comes with level 3 autonomy and does not have a price tag yet. From 2018, Audi will gradually be taking piloted driving functions such as remote parking assist, remote garage assist and traffic jam assist into production. The vehicle can start itself from parking on its own and steer itself to the destination by actively accelerating and decelerating as required that too without any input from the driver. As a result, the company will be adopting a step-by-step approach of introducing such features in the production models.

The Audi AI remote parking pilot and the Audi AI remote garage pilot autonomously steer the A8 into and out of a parking space or garage while the driver monitors the manoeuvre. While drivers will have to follow local laws (which nearly uniformly prohibit driving while watching TV), if those laws change, Audi’s piloted driving system claims to be able to operate the auto proficiently enough that a driver could read or watch TV behind the wheel. One is a 3.0-litre petrol unit developing 335bhp in the 3.0 TFSI and the other a 3.0-litre diesel with 264bhp, 10bhp more than its predecessor, in the 3.0 TDI.

All engines are paired with a belt alternator starter and 48-volt electric system. That motor is also used for the extended start/stop function and energy recovery of up to 12 kW. Audi says it’s still working out a framework to make the system is road-legal in this country.

There’s also a relaxation seat option in the long-wheelbase A8 L that gives the passenger a heated and massaging footrest.