Audi won’t fully unveil its all-new A3 model until March’s Geneva Motor Show, but the German automaker has given us a sneak peek of the compact’s interior.
Although the North American International Auto Show is currently taking place in Detroit, Audi decided to unveil its new A3 interior at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Audi is using the A3 interior mockup to show its latest generation MMI technology.
The overall look of the A3′s interior is similar to the one found in the A1 city car, which is a welcome departure of the dated cabin in today’s A3. The newest A3 will also gain a significant upgrade in technology.
The 2013 A3 will adopt the same general MMI system used in Audi’s A6 and A8 models. That means a familiar touchwheel located in the center console accompanied by a new touchpad that allows drivers to “write†characters with the swipe of a finger.
The highlight of the A3′s interior is a new retractable LED display. Although dash-mounted screens are nothing new in the auto industry, the A3′s system is ground breaking as it is the first-ever in-vehicle application of 3D graphics.
The A3 MMI system will also be updated with Multi Media eXtension, which is a flash-based system that promises to make upgrading a snap.
Finally, the 2013 A3 will gain an advanced head-up display unit. In addition to displaying standard information like vehicle speed and navigation directions, the HUD system will be able to display the distance to the vehicle ahead, warn the driver of direction changes after a hillcrest and even alert the driver as to which direction a pedestrian is walking in the road ahead.
The 2013 Audi A3 is expected to hit the market shortly after its Geneva debut.
