Audi and Google are winning combination at Telematics Awards 2010
- Recognition for "Best Embedded Telematics Navigation Product"
- Audi
A8 navigation system available with Google functionality
- Integration of
Google Earth is a world first
HERNDON, Va., Jun 16, 2010 - Audi and Google have been named as the winners
of the "Best Embedded Telematics Navigation Product" award at the Telematics
Awards 2010. The MMI navigation system in the new Audi A8 luxury sedan is
available in selected markets with a variety of Google services and information
via the internet. These include Google Earth, which has been integrated into an
automotive navigation system as a world first.
The Telematics Awards,
which are now in their ninth year, were organized by Telematics Update and were
determined by an independent jury of experts. In the "Best Embedded Telematics
Navigation Product" category there were ten products competing for the award.
The awards were announced and presented yesterday at a ceremony in the
Ford Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Mich.
"We are very pleased to be recognized
for our joint efforts in what we believe to be the leading edge of the
infotainment arena," said Mathias Halliger, chief MMI architect, AUDI AG.
"This recognition is an excellent example of the close cooperation
between Audi and Google teams in Silicon Valley and Germany," said Daniel
Rosario, project leader, connected vehicle architecture, AUDI AG. "We are
convinced that this feature not only introduces a new, progressive experience to
our customers, but also presents a paradigm shift in this category."
The
new Audi A8, which celebrated its launch in Europe and other global markets in
the first quarter of 2010, set the bar at new heights with regard to multimedia
technology. Its multimedia interface (MMI) navigation plus features a highly
evolved operating concept incorporating a touchpad - known as MMI touch. Also
included are an integrated hard disk for navigation, phone and audio data and a
graphics processor capable of generating high-quality, three dimensional
images.
The all-new Audi A8 will arrive in U.S. showrooms by the end of
this year, with Google Earth technology available in early 2011.
First
shown as a prototype with Google in January 2006 at the Consumer Electronics
Show in Las Vegas, the online services in the new Audi A8 are the result of a
close collaboration between Audi and Google development teams
worldwide.
"We sincerely appreciate the acknowledgement from Telematic
Update and the support and partnership with Audi," said Jens Redmer, Principal,
New Business Development, Google Inc. "These products show the power of making
rich web content, particularly through Google's geographic tools, available
across more platforms. We look forward to continuing to explore ways to work
with automakers to bring more connectivity to drivers worldwide."
The A8
can retrieve up-to-date information from the internet through the rooftop
antenna via the car's own UMTS module. The user can search online with Google
Local Search for points-of-interest directly from within the MMI. The versatile
search engine accepts such free text search queries as "delicatessen" or "shoe
boutique". The results are then displayed on the onboard map or used as
destinations for route calculation.
The fast data transfer of the UMTS
module has allowed Audi to set a world first with the integration of Google
Earth in the MMI navigation plus. Google Earth imagery and a 3D terrain model
are combined with the detailed street network from the onboard navigation
database as well as calculated routes in a seamless integration of online and
offline content.
ABOUT AUDI
Audi of America, Inc. and its 272
U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is
among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. During 2009 Audi
outsold all other luxury brands in Europe, while in the U.S. market Audi posted
the largest market share gain of any luxury automotive brand. Between 2010 and
2012 the Audi Group is planning to invest around ?5.5 billion, mainly in new
products, in order to sustain the Company's technological lead. Visit
www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi
vehicle and business issues.