Exterior has a minimalist design. The suicide doors open to reveal a cabin with cosseting chairs.
The Audi Urbansphere concept, which was teased for a while, is now available as part of the brand’s vision for autonomous driving. The brand’s new model is designed to drive in densely populated megacities.
The Audi design studios in Beijing, Ingolstadt and Ingolstadt created the Urbansphere concept. To find out what customers in China want from a vehicle such as this, the company interviewed them.
A High-Tech Interior
Audi first designed the Urbansphere’s interior, then developed an exterior that would meet all the customers’ needs. The vehicle is designed to provide a relaxing space for occupants while they move through bustling cities.
There are four seats in the interior, with two rows. The chairs can tilt up to 60 degrees and have extendable leg rests. To give the occupant a sense of privacy, the headrests wrap around them and have speakers built into them.
The rear passengers’ infotainment system is located on a transparent screen that slides down from the ceiling. The screen is almost as large as the cabin. If they wish to see the same thing, they can either share the screen or split the content.
Cameras and eye-tracking monitor all occupants at all time. The system can be controlled even when the seat is fully reclined. People just need to move their fingers to activate it. The vehicle can detect if a person feels stressed and suggest a meditation app.
The dashboard features instruments that project onto a wooden panel that covers the entire vehicle’s width. The sensor detects the area that a person touches in order to manipulate it.
The Urbansphere is level 4 autonomous, just like the other members of this family of Audi concepts. The vehicle can be piloted by itself, as well as conventional controls. Audi claims that this technology could be available in the second half this decade.
Simple exterior
Although it is not obvious in Audi’s photos of the Urbansphere, it is quite noticeable when compared to other products. It measures 216.9 inches (5.51m) in length, making it the longest interior volume in Audi history. Refer to the 2022 Cadillac Escalade at 211.9 inches (5.51 meters).
The Urbansphere’s body is a cross between a van and crossover. The exterior is minimalist in design. The front is slender with a small overhang. The steeply raked windshield flows into a flat roof. The subtle sculpting on the flanks provides visual appeal but isn’t too flashy.
Large arrays of triangular, LED lights can be found on the nose and tail. They can create complex patterns. These elements are used as headlights or tail lamps and can also display messages to other road users, such as flashing large red Xs or turning signals.
The Urbansphere comes with suicide doors. The seats are swivel towards the people who enter the vehicle when the doors are opened.
A Big Battery
The Urbansphere is powered by Audi’s Premium platform Electric. It has a 120-watt-hour battery. It is estimated to travel 466 miles (750 km) on a single charge.
Urbansphere is meant to move people around cities. Power is not the vehicle’s main focus. Each axle has an electric motor that produces 396 horsepower (295 Kilowatts) total and 509 pound feet (690 Newton-meters) torque.