A fascinating vision of the future
Introducing the Audi activesphere concept
The fourth and final installment in Audis Sphere series seamlessly transforms from a luxury coupé to a pickup. Complete with a flatbed boot, hidden roof rack, integrated bike storage, and debuting Audi Dimension, the highly elegant car with an astonishingly versatile body design is more than just a sports car.
The Audi activesphere concept follows on from the Audi Skysphere, the Audi grandsphere sedan and the Audi urbansphere space concept. For Audi, the sphere concept models illustrate its vision of progressive luxury, with focus on the interior and its foundation for design and technology.
The highly elegant car has impressive ground clearance and large 22-inch wheels that announce its off-road talent. The Sportback rear of the activesphere can turn into an open cargo bed (“active back”) at the touch of a button, making it perfect for carrying recreational equipment such as e-bikes or water and winter sports gear. The steering wheel and pedals allow the driver to actively take control of the car while also offering autonomous driving as an option for a more relaxed journey. Featuring classic features and lines, it’s a coupe that’s not only elegant but also dynamic.
With no local emissions, a range of over 600 km, and extremely fast charging times thanks to 800-volt technology, it combines the sustainability, dynamics, and long-distance capability of state-of-the-art electric vehicles.
The innovative operating concept, Audi dimensions, combines the physical and virtual worlds (i.e., mixed reality) by displaying digital content in the occupants’ fields of vision in real time. 3D content and interactive elements are displayed using High-tech headsets, in addition to a view of the real environment and route. All driver-relevant information, such as driving status and navigation, can be displayed. And in the interior, headset users can see control panels and other virtual displays in a tidy, minimalist design that remains hidden to the unaided eye. Mixed reality optics gives users the ability to interact precisely with these real, yet invisible, touch-sensitive zones, as the headsets display and carry out functions by reacting in real time when users touch them.
The interior of the activesphere embodies clarity and tidiness. Dominated by vertical and horizontal surfaces it offers a vast sense of space. The interior zones feature horizontal contrasting colouring. In warm lava red, the seating surfaces and the front and door paneling contrast the dark exterior of the vehicle. When driving in autonomous mode, the steering wheel, pedals and dashboard disappear into an invisible position, extending the space available. For a clear field of vision, the fully glazed Singleframe gives passengers an unobstructed view of the road in front.
If the driver wants to take over the wheel, the dashboard, along with the steering wheel, swivels out from its flush position below the windshield. Each driver can adjust the ideal ergonomic position individually, ensuring optimum comfort. The MMI touchless controls in the doors are always accessible to the eye and the hand, for example, to control windows and seat adjustments.
At 4.98 meters long, 2.07 meters wide and 1.60 meters high the activesphere is a member of the premium segment. The wheelbase is 2.97 meters long offering maximum legroom for passengers. The 285/55 tyres are superior enough for all types of terrain, with their contoured thread showcasing the activesphere’s off-road capabilities. The wheels feature movable segments which when used off-road open for optimum ventilation. Designed to specifically minimize drag, the elegant camera mirrors on the two front doors.
Glass surfaces make up a significant part of the vehicle’s body. The singleframe is designed as a transparent glazing, providing passengers with an unobstructed view through the large frunk of the road in front of the vehicle. In addition, there are glass surfaces on the side in the lower door area, dissolving the boundary between the natural world and the interior of the car when the activesphere is in off-road mode. Even the roof itself is transparent, allowing plenty of daylight into the interior.
