Apple teases Eyes Free, Siri car integration

Apple’s VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall just demoed Eyes Free, Siri’s new vehicle integration. The feature is being framed as a safety booster, letting you tap a steering wheel-mounted button to toggle Siri on your iOS device, rather than reaching around for your iPhone or iPad and taking precious seconds away from the road. This being Apple, there are already plenty of partners lined up — BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all said to be on board, with Siri support making its way to vehicles within the next 12 months. It’s certainly not the first example of smartphone/car integration we’ve seen, but it could soon end up being one of the most widely utilized, despite the years-long head-start competing technologies have enjoyed.

Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone

We’re no stranger to e-bikes here, but most of the examples we’ve seen so far have very much been meant for A-to-B rides. Audi’s aiming to fix that with its e-bike Wörthersee prototype. The carbon fiber transport not only has a strong 2.3kW motor — the most powerful ever in a bike, so says Audi — but can use that power for tricks. You can flick the Wörthersee into a wheelie mode and either shift your weight around or leave it fully automatic, depending on the fierceness of your stunt skills. Not that it’ll be a timid ride if you prefer to keep both wheels on the ground, as a motor-assisted pedaling mode will take you up to 50MPH, and you can still ride at 31MPH if you’re not keen on using your legs. That’s faster than the already speedy Grace One City we tried, folks. The vorsprung durch technik also comes through a smartphone tie-in, although in a much more stunt-savvy way than the app- and tuning-focused Ford E-Bike Concept: it tracks video and trick runs, both for its own game system and for bragging rights on Facebook.

With a very light 3.5-pound carbon fiber frame and a quick 2.5-hour charge-up time, the e-bike Wörthersee sounds like a wild ride that will charge quickly enough for a spin on your lunch break, but we wouldn’t rush to put down a deposit. Audi is calling the prototype a “show bike,” which is a sign than the design as-is won’t show up at the local sports store. We’ll let you know if the Wörthersee or a more pragmatic descendant makes the leap to a dealer.

Inhabitat

Ducati addio, diventa tedesca Audi compra per 860 milioni

MILANO – Manca solo un passaggio, il via libera dei consigli, ma stavolta pare proprio che Ferdinand Piëch ce l’abbia fatta. Dopo un’attesa di sei anni, e sei mesi di trattative serrate, il patron della Volkswagen sta per portarsi a casa la Ducati. Ieri il gruppo di Wolfsburg ha trovato l’accordo con il fondo Investindustrial di Andrea Bonomi per acquisire il 100% dell’azienda di Borgo Panigale, che finirà sotto le insegne dell’Audi. L’accordo sarà illustrato oggi ai board della capogruppo e di Audi per l’approvazione e, se tutto andrà secondo programma, giovedì mattina Piëch potrà annunciare all’assemblea Volkswagen il debutto nelle due ruote, con uno dei marchi più prestigiosi del mondo.] MILANO – Manca solo un passaggio, il via libera dei consigli, ma stavolta pare proprio che Ferdinand Piëch ce l’abbia fatta. Dopo un’attesa di sei anni, e sei mesi di trattative serrate, il patron della Volkswagen sta per portarsi a casa la Ducati. Ieri il gruppo di Wolfsburg ha trovato l’accordo con il fondo Investindustrial di Andrea Bonomi per acquisire il 100% dell’azienda di Borgo Panigale, che finirà sotto le insegne dell’Audi. L’accordo sarà illustrato oggi ai board della capogruppo e di Audi per l’approvazione e, se tutto andrà secondo programma, giovedì mattina Piëch potrà annunciare all’assemblea Volkswagen il debutto nelle due ruote, con uno dei marchi più prestigiosi del mondo.

Source: corriere.it

Audi R8 Etron To Get Spaceship Like Sound Effects (Video)

Audi are developing an electric version of their R8 supercar which will be called the R8 Etronic, there is just one problem with electronic cars, they are almost silent, so Audi has decided to develop some sound effects for the R8 Etronic to make it sound more like a supercar.

Instead of adding normal engine sounds to the R8 Etronic, Audi have decided to give their electric supercar a more futuristic sound, have a look at the video of it in action below.

Audi has added the sound effects to the vehicle to help pedestrians hear the car, and Audi has called its new electronic engine sound system Audi e-sound.

Audi's A3 e-tron gearing up for 2013, should hit 90 miles per charge

You may live your life a quarter-mile at a time, but let’s face it — you still care about the environment. To that end, you’ve patiently awaited Audi’s hybrid Spyder, even with the company playing coy about electric vehicles in general. Its latest tease is a far cry from the aforesaid ghost, but the A3 e-tron — an entry-level Sportback begging to be modified — is certainly sexy in its own right. Not exactly Fast and Furious material, given that it needs 11 seconds to reach 60mph and tops out at 90mph, but still — a pair of lithium-ion batteries should give it 90-mile range per nine-hour charge. We’d take the Roadster S’ 165-mile ride if given the choice, but we’ll confess to confessing as much prior to consulting our practical side. No hard word on availability or pricing — the company likely wants it on the streets by 2013, but don’t go changing your name to Vin Battery just yet. Or Vin Anything, for that matter.

2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 gets Tegra-powered multi-function displays (video)

Lamborghini supercars have traditionally never been known as sophisticated beasts, bullish logo proof positive of that, but that’s all changed since the company fell in under the Volkswagen Group banner. The company’s newly unveiled Aventador LP700-4 supercar has more tech than any Lambo before, much of it scattered about the decidedly fighter-inspired interior layout that borrows a few elements from the Audi stable. Most interesting is the MMI infotainment system, which has been given some tweaks but clearly hasn’t fallen far from its parent’s Tegra-powered tree. All the dials and visuals on the car are rendered on LCDs, as can be seen in the video below, along with 3D maps for navigation and a suite of customization menus controlled either by the familiar MMI jog dial in the middle or by a stalk on the steering wheel. Of course, with a brand new, 691HP V-12 tucked in the back we’re thinking owners will have things more important than render quality on their minds, but those of us who can’t afford the expected $350,000+ price tag will have to simply entertain ourselves by saying “Aventador” over and over again. Aventador. Aventador. Aventador…