Audi Urbansphere: spatial luxury that goes further than a car

• Audi CEO "What the Chinese do must be taken seriously"

• 'Concept cars' 2021 Imagination and realities

Audi has uncovered this Tuesday its third autonomous mobility project,

that has been built thinking more about habitability than pure performance.

For this reason, as happened with the two previous projects presented last year, it is difficult to catalog using traditional categories.

And, in addition,

.

However, benefits 'there are them': the

placed in the large space between axles has 120 kW of capacity to feed two electric motors with

.

The

charging technology allows recharging up to a limit of 270 kW in

.

But all this, which has always been the important thing about a vehicle, goes into the background

.

inside out

We first saw the

, a sleepless-night-long

that could be used for a leisurely self-drive ride or sporty performance from behind the wheel.

A few weeks later, Audi presented

, a vision of the future that he baptized with the name of

, as a large closed saloon, a vehicle even longer than the first

and fundamentally equipped to

, with all the comforts and services of

.

The two creations had the

, which already

itself if the infrastructures collaborate.

And where does the

take us , third (last only for now) of the saga, presented today?

to tour the great Chinese megalopolises.

In fact, it was going to be physically presented at the

this week, but the

that is shaking the great Asian state

on the scheduled dates (April 21-30).

Chinese language

So Chinese is this third

of Audi that it has been designed in the studies of the German firm in Beijing and supervised from the headquarters of Ingolstadt (Germany).

Audi specifies that a few potential customers,

of the People's Republic of China, have contributed their ideas during the development of the project and have followed its evolution in the design center.

Consequently, the prototypes that arrive in Europe at the end of a decade, converted into mass-produced models, will not be exactly the same as those circulating in China.

Europe is not Asia, but the concept will be identical.

The size of the Audi Urbansphere is

.

It measures 5.51 meters long by 2.01 wide and 1.78 high, with a

.

And being so large, it does not admit more than four passengers, yes, in removable and variable orientation armchairs with varied applications to leave the body as new.

It is one of the answers to the question asked by

, director of brand strategy at Audi.

"How will they use this car?"

And, of course, behind the same question different answers are piled up.

As attributed in the previous design, the Urbansphere has also been built

.

And more than ever before, what matters is the habitability and the experiences inside the... car?

or passenger compartment is configured with the needs and desires of the user and from these priorities the rest of the car is created.

For example, when the vehicle moves in fully autonomous mode, the visual and perceived space increases simply

.

'Red carpet'

If, as usual, the passage goes from the outside to the inside, that is, it is going to enter the Urbansphere, you will feel like a Hollywood star on the red carpet that leads to the interior of the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.

Because the Urbansphere extends

to its interior, wide open with its

.

At the ends,

will adorn the walkway.

"Experiences":

participate in a conference, buy tickets for the theater, enjoy a relaxation room or a private sphere so that everyone listens to the music they want or any other activity without disturbing the neighbor in a kind of personal bubble ...

.

And when thirst strikes, there is a mobile console to help yourself to cold water and glasses.

And if you just want to watch a movie or participate in a video conference, the

- which is divisible - allows extraordinary viewing quality for a

.

when not in use, a luminous and transparent vision remains in accordance with the occupant's wishes for light.

More than

: the owner or user does not worry about almost anything:

.

What don't you want to drive?

Before your eyes you will see noble woods, synthetic or natural fabrics such as wool... But if you feel like getting behind the wheel, just by wanting to (getting to it) a whole jet of

for a efficient and safe driving that appear as if from nowhere.

The buttons, remote controls and applications make up a very long menu.

system is striking ,

which is used in a reclining position to access the most varied functions through gestures and eye control,

and tries to eliminate it.

And it learns over time regardless of the method you use (

)

A car with feelings?

From the cabin out, the Urbansphere also shows... its feelings?

The

like the classic ones in combustion-powered cars, not only remains to show the four Audi rings.

divided into three vertical zones.

Audi calls this front 'luminous canvas', whose drawings and colors emit a sign language to express traffic circumstances or the road on which it travels.

The outer segments of the Singleframe front are used to control the LEDs for dipped or high beams.

"The illuminated surfaces", says Audi,

.

As it is built for China and with advice from citizens of this country, the Audi Urbansphere gives away a striking detail:

, which acts both as a protector from the sun or rain and as a 'flashlight' to be and be seen when leaving the vehicle, with specific sensors to cross a street... or give light to take a selfie! According to Audi.

It is clear that this vehicle is going down a path that no engineer has ever traveled before.

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