Audi Showcases Next-Gen Tech At CES

Audi will throw the spotlight on its next-generation of driver assistance and in-car entertainment systems at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

Some technology is ready to be implemented today while other showpieces are just concepts for now, but Audi's presence at CES strengthens the automaker's stature as one of the leaders in car infotainment systems.

One piece of cutting-edge gadgetry is Audi's autonomous car technology. As Audi envisages it, cars of the near future will be able to navigate traffic jams at speeds of up to 30km/h without driver intervention.

Carparks could also be driven through without a person even present in the car, and Audi expects such a pilotless vehicle would be able to park itself in the tightest of parking spots after the driver has left the vehicle, and extricate itself at the push of a button.

Something that's a little closer to road-going reality is the application of Audi's MMI Touch interface to the A3 and A3 Sportback.

MMI Touch enables the driver or front passenger to input data into the on-board computer using a touchpad rather than a knob or buttons, and is also designed to improve ease of use for customers in Asian countries where the English alphabet is not used.