Audi is working closely with Nvidia to develop new infotainment tech, and there’s plenty of that on display at CES this week.
Much of it will debut on the 2016 Q7 SUV, which makes its formal debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show next week but – highlighting the symbiosis of the car and tech industries – it’s getting plenty of exposure at CES as well.
The Q7 will be the first model to get the new Audi tablet, which designed specifically for in-car use and can connect to the car’s built-in infotainment and navigation systems, providing more flexibility in a larger vehicle where many people will sit far away from the dashboard and its fixed display and controls.
The Audi tablet features a 10.1-inch screen and uses Nvidia’s Tegra 4 chip. It can also function outside the car as a regular tablet, too.
The 2016 Q7 will feature other nifty tech as well, including available 3D sound and a “phone box” where drivers can park phones to be paired with the onboard infotainment system, and get a wireless inductive charge to boot.
Of course, Audi’s infotainment tech plans go well beyond one model.
The carmaker is expanding the use of its Modular Infotainment Matrix, which was first shown back in 2012 on the A3. The idea behind the “modular” setup is that it can be easily upgraded to keep pace with the rapidly-advancing state of in-car electronics.
Case in point, Audi is already rolling out the second generation of systems based on that platform. Deployed on the redesigned 2016 TT as well as the A6 and A7, the new version trades the Nvidia T 20 chip of its predecessor for the T 30.
The deepening partnership with Audi is just one way Nvidia is staking a claim in the automotive sector. This week the company also unveiled its Drive PX and Drive CX processors, which were designed with future autonomous driving systems in mind.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?