The Audi A8 D5 will be the most high tech car Audi has ever put on the road



We’re only months away to the official unveiling of the next best Audi, but word has it that all variants of the Audi A8 D5 will get some form of electrification.

According to a report by Auto Express UK, the new Audi A8 will get the four rings’ state-of-the-art 48-volt electrical systems for both petrol and diesel engines. Audi’s head of mild hybrid, Alexander Kruse said, “First we begin with the A8, then continue on to other models. The plan is to very quickly implement the system on other models.”

A variety of engines from V6, V8 to V12 will be deployed as primary source of propulsion. When equipped with the V6, the hybrid system could potentially shave off 0.7 litres of fuel per 100km. And in EV mode alone, top speed goes as high up as 160 km/h! That’s at least 30 km/h more than the current industry standard for hybrid cars.

Audi’s 48-volt system is already being used for production cars such as the SQ7 TDI, which takes guise as an electrical compressor to help the V8-powered SUV eliminate turbo lag. But expect the A8’s hybrid system to be more sophisticated and practical for everyday motoring.

Now, besides electrification, Audi says the A8 will be their first ever car built with full ‘Level 3’ autonomous driving technology. This means the car is fully capable of self driving, using long-range radar sensors, a dozen ultrasonic sensors, laser scanners and high-res cameras to manoeuvre without human intervention. The system can also autonomously guide the A8 through traffic jams at up to speeds of 60 km/h.

As technological pioneers of LED daytime running lights, Audi has confirmed to experimenting with organic LEDs (better known as OLED). This will give way to new, more futuristic forms of expression in the cars to come.

With the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series reaping the bulk of the marketshare, the wait has been far too long. But as the saying goes, sometimes, it really is worth the wait.

Source: Auto Express UK