The new MMI generation from Audi: top-level multimedia and communication

With a high-capacity hard disk, a DVD drive and fast processors, it is much more versatile and its performance is higher than ever before. The new MMI’s first appearance will be in the A8 luxury sedan, but before long it will also be available for two other model lines.
In 2002, when the Audi MMI (Multi Media Interface) was launched, journalists and the general public were unanimous: the new Audi concept was the best on the market. With its control knob on the center tunnel and large function keys to select the main operating areas, it was effortless to control, with self-evident logic that was repeated on the MMI display. Audio, TV, information, telephone and navigation – never before had the driver been able to control all these areas so intuitively.
MMI set new standards from the very start, and proved to be the yardstick the competitors had to equal. Its status was confirmed by many wins in comparative tests. The system was also adopted for the A6 and Q7 model lines, and for the new A4. In this area of technology, the brand with the four-ring emblem pioneered progress from the front.
Audi has been intensively developing every aspect of its MMI system. The full version, MMI navigation plus, is now a state-of-the-art high-end system. The basic operating principle has been retained, but the innovative joystick makes it even more convenient. This joystick is located on the central knob and can be moved in eight directions – with high precision and the sense of quality that the Audi driver expects.
Apart from the control terminal, the monitor screen is the second important interface between the system and its users. For the new MMI, Audi has provided a large TFT display measuring seven inches from corner to corner. It is located in an ergonomically favorable position high up on the center console. With the very high resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and LED backlighting, this monitor supplies an exceptionally sharp image with plenty of contrast. Even in poor light conditions, the colors are intense against the black background.
As before, there are elegant crossfades between the individual screen displays, an effect that makes the overall impression created by the graphics even more fascinating. If the driver alters the automatic air conditioning settings, the new ones appear in a small screen panel for several seconds. This pop-up window doesn't occupy very much space, so that the MMI user can still see the main screen content at any time