Audi Provides High-tech at the Low End

Even though Audi didn't have a brand new A3 on display at CES 2012, the firm did provide its dashboard. The entirely functional head device in this dashboard revealed Audi's latest cabin technology. More significantly, it demonstrated that Audi won't hold this technology for its high-end models.

The menus took the same circular format as in the A7, but Audi has further refined this interface for better usability. It is easier to find points of interest in the A3's navigation system, and Audi made it possible to use a free text search for locally stored music in the car. Where the A7 has a dial, buttons, and a touch pad for tracing letters, the A3 puts the touch pad on top of the dial, saving space on the console. This innovative layout worked very well during a demonstration at the Audi booth.

Other new cabin tech methods in the A3 involve what Audi calls a phone box, an area in the console enabled with NFC (near-field communication) that can pair with phones also using that technology. As of now, the phone still needs to plug into a USB port for charging, but Audi A3 is looking into installing an inductive surface. The new A3 also includes a head up-display, showing useful vehicle information such as speed and navigation projected on the car windows.