Innovative partnership for zFAS: PACE award for Audi
The central driver assistance controller (zFAS) from Audi is not just a high-tech component. Its development in collaboration with systems supplier Aptiv also set new standards. In recognition of this, Audi received the PACE award in the category “Innovative Partnership” on April 8, 2019. The prizes, awarded by the US magazine Automotive New to honor technical innovations in the automotive industry, were presented at an event in Detroit, Michigan.
The zFAS bundles the management of numerous driver assistance systems in a central, highly integrated domain architecture. The board continuously renders an exact model of the vehicle surroundings from the signals provided by the car’s sensors. From adaptive cruise control to the 360 degree cameras to the intersection assist, systems from all three functional areas – driving, parking and safety – have access to the fused data. This enables them to react precisely and early to the respective situation. The zFAS debuted in 2017 in the Audi A8 and is now used in many of the brand’s full-size models. Thanks to the scalable architecture, Audi can deploy different configurations of its high-end controller depending on the vehicle model and installed equipment. There is still no competitor offering a technology with such a wide scope of functions.
During development of the zFAS, Audi was responsible for the system and sensor data fusion. The American company Aptiv served as system partner and later as system supplier. The modular board, which is roughly the size of a small tablet computer, is equipped with processors from the leading system-on-chip specialists NVIDIA, Infineon, Altera and Mobileye. In collaboration with TTTech, a total of 35 software packages from 15 partners worldwide were integrated into the zFAS. This was a mammoth task in terms of both system technology and processes, which for Audi has ultimately proved to be an important driver of key competence for automated driving. Successful collaboration between numerous development partners under the leadership and system responsibility of the OEM will continue to characterize such projects in the future.
(April 2019)
Best family SUV: the Audi Q7
The American news magazine U.S. News & World Report has named the Audi Q7 the “Best Luxury 3-Row SUV for Families”. The judges found the model to be the best choice for families preferring an uncompromising SUV. They praised the large rear seat with optional third row, the rear USB ports, the 360 degree cameras, the sensor-controlled tailgate and the sunblinds for the rear windows and rear side windows. The interior reflects the high quality materials and craftsmanship for which Audi is known. Innovative infotainment abounds with such features as MMI navigation plus, the Audi virtual cockpit, head-up display, Audi smartphone interface and Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with 3D sound. A wide range of assist systems, from the standard Audi pre sense basic and Audi pre sense city to the optional lane change assist provide additional convenience and safety. The Audi Q7 also shined in terms of driving dynamics thanks largely to the standard quattro drive.
(March 2019)
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SOURCE: Audi
