Audi & Disappearing Steering Wheel

 Audi's New Grandsphere Concept Car

                                            Source:  Audi

Technologies That Define Next-G Driving

Audi has unveiled a truly extraordinary concept car.  The Audi Grandsphere is the ultimate in new technologies, luxury and style.  It is Audi's vision of the future of driving vehicles with electric, digital and autonomous technologies.  In essence, the Grandsphere and its technologies may define the next generation of driving.  The vehicle sports a disappearing steering wheel that folds into the dashboard and disappearing pedals to allow the EV to be converted into a luxurious lounge while the car drives autonomously.  And that is just the beginning of what Audi's technology platform into the future of driving offers.

Grand Auto Experiment

Grandsphere is a concept vehicle which serves as a grand experiment for Audi engineers and designers to create the ultimate, epic ride.  The Grandsphere team says if a piece of new, highly advanced technology "works magic", they keep it. If it doesn't, it is rejected immediately. Audi says because this car is electric and has no combustion engine, it has much more interior space. Instead of designing it from the outside and then going in, they were able to design it from the inside, with a driver-passenger focus. Some of the eye-catching technologies include:

• Car doors automatically open when the driver approaches and a preset playlist of functions begins to play and select from
• The steering wheel and pedals automatically disappear if the driver wants the vehicle to operate autonomously
• It has Level 4, autonomous driving capabilities
• There is an eye tracking "magic" dashboard with multiple functions
• From the driver's seat, you can access an extending bar for water dispensers and refreshment
• Parking and charging the car are automated
• Multiple interior digital displays are at the ready for infotainment
• Innovative lighting makes the interior surfaces "come alive" 
• Luxurious interior with lounge-like seating and panoramic glass ceiling

Design and Ambiance

Audi's team calls the Grandsphere "progressive" and Audi's next steps into new technology and new luxury.  The architecture of the EV is "pure" and elegant. It is a "sporty limousine" with a very long wheelbase. The EV concept even has the Audi Assistant to order coffee if you want and take you to the coffee shop to pick it up.  Grandsphere is Audi's grand idea of where the future of driving is taking us.