You may have seen a Virtual Cockpit display if you’ve ever driven or sat in the front passenger seat of a modern Audi vehicle. The Virtual Cockpit is the moniker Audi gives to the digital dashboard display it now installs in many of its models in place of traditional analogue dials. It is not some kind of phantom car interior that only appears in a VR headset.
A variant of Virtual Cockpit was also used on the Lamborghini Huracan, which was introduced at the same year as the Audi TT Mk3 in 2014. The technology has already crept down through the rest of the range, and the majority of Audi vehicles now include the Virtual Cockpit as standard equipment.
Virtual Cockpit is an optional addition that can be ordered on versions that don’t come standard with it (such the base and mid-range trim levels of the Audi A6 executive saloon). It often comes with a Technology Pack that costs roughly $1,500. The sole exceptions are the Audi A1 and Q2’s most basic Technik models, which are completely incompatible with the Virtual Cockpit system.
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The cost of the Audi virtual cockpit
Audi Virtual Cockpitor Digital Cockpit, as VW refers to itreplaces conventional dials for speed, revs, and other factors with programmable digital displays; for a better understanding, refer to the gallery above. The idea is to bring all the data you require down below your range of vision. However, the more important query for Audi/VW buyers is: Should you purchase it?
For instance, the top Prestige trim of the 2018 Audi Q5 SUV and S4 sedan comes standard with Virtual Cockpit; the Premium Plus level with the $2,600 navigation package offers it as an option. Volkswagen’s new Atlas, Tiguan, and e-Golf all come standard with the Digital Cockpit.
Both versions are configurable, so you can add your map and navigation data, songs, phone calls, and anything else you can think of to the space typically used for analog gauge rings. Of course, you can check your speed and rpm. While neither is touchscreen, they both use the steering wheel or voice instructions to navigate, and with Audi’s Google Earth-like maps, it looks really interesting. And isn’t bragging about yourself half the fun?
The Virtual Cockpit gauge cluster was thoroughly examined by our British friends at Car Magazine, and they gave it a thumbs up. We concur after testing the technology in a few recent vehicles from the VW Group and some Audis.
Is the virtual cockpit for the Audi worth it?
In some of its more recent models, the Virtual Cockpitas Audi calls itreplaces the customary analog dials with a TFT screen. Instead of forcing you to look over at the infotainment screen, the goal is to bring all the information you require within your range of vision.
It would have cost $1595 as an optional upgrade on our Q2 Sport. But it was a part of the 1395 optional Technology pack that we purchased. This is only available on S-line and Black Edition vehicles, Sport models with a S tronic transmission (like ours), and Sport models. It also needs to be used with the flat-bottomed Sport steering wheel.
This is the much more cost-effective choice if you really want the Virtual Cockpit because it also includes MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch, a 36-month subscription to Audi Connect Infotainment Services, and the Audi wireless charging phone box (although you can’t use it with an iPhone without the 40 charging cover).
The 8.3-inch, high-resolution color display, touch-sensitive control panel with handwriting recognition, and ability to pan and zoom on the 3D map are all included in the Multi Media Interface (MMI).
The speedometer and rev counter are prominently displayed on the screen in Classic View. However, you may tailor the Virtual Cockpit to your requirements, so if you like, you can prominently display the map in the center with the dials in the background.
Additionally, the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit may display music information, tyre pressures, driver assistance menus, and fuel level. Basically, that means that you can use it to pull up everything from radio stations to routes on the map, much like an infotainment system.
Is it therefore worth the money? It will depend on how tight your budget is, like with most things. It’s a great piece of technology, and if you were spending the money on a brand-new Audi, you’d probably add it. But you could purchase a complete second automobile for a fiver off of $1400. An old vehicle with many miles on it, yet still…
If you have CarPlay or Android Auto, which is standard on the Sport trim, you can access Apple or Google Maps, music, etc. for free. However, looking down rather than across to a screen feels more natural (and safer). Although you won’t receive all the glitzy information about fuel pressure and digital dials, you also won’t have to pay a significant sum of money to move it all in front of your face.
How is the display on an Audi A1 changed?
It is possible to manually turn off the display. Press the rotary pushbutton or one of the function selector buttons to turn the display back on.
By rotating the rotary pushbutton either clockwise or counterclockwise, you can change the display’s brightness.
- Using the arrow buttons on the control panel, for instance when you are listening to the radio, you can still change the station even if the display is off.
- When an incoming call comes in on an Audi A1 with a Bluetooth interface or phone pre-installation*, the display will turn on immediately.
What distinguishes the virtual cockpit plus and virtual cockpit for Audi?
More study has led me to believe that the plus has a larger battery gauge than the standard, which is the only change (so not really much of an upgrade). The addition apparently integrates the analog fuel gauge and engine temperature into the virtual cockpit screen in ICE vehicles, making it a more sensible update.
I’m actually more irritated by things like the inability to specify certain features, like memory seats or the phone box, as distinct options as opposed to making them model-specific or just offering them as part of a pack. I’m also disappointed that it lacks keyless entry and 360-degree parking cameras, although I wonder whether it is a result of a global chip shortage.
Which Audi vehicles use the virtual cockpit?
Instead of a touchscreen, the multifunction steering wheel’s buttons are used to operate the Virtual Cockpit. It is not worthwhile to retrofit Virtual Cockpit to an Audi that didn’t have it installed from the factory because the steering wheel is different from the one in models that don’t have the technology included.
When was Audi Virtual Cockpit introduced?
The original iteration of Virtual Cockpit debuted on the 2014 Audi TT, and a renamed version of it was utilized in the Lamborghini Huracan, yet it still seems like cutting-edge software. Early versions of the software had certain technical issues and weren’t always readable in direct sunshine, but they have now been fixed, and measures have been taken to make the system viewable in all lighting circumstances. Making sure the car you’re considering has the most recent system is worthwhile because the current one is significantly more dependable.
The 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit is now standard on mid-range and top-tier variants of the brand’s smallest model, the A1. Previously, the 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit was only available on the company’s more expensive vehicles, such as the Q5 and Q7, S, and RS models. The A1 and Q2 base model Technik versions are the only ones that don’t include the Virtual Cockpit option.
With brand-specific designs, features, and, in some cases, somewhat different titles, each brand in the VW Group now has its own digital instrument cluster. While Skoda adopts the naming convention used by Audi, Volkswagen and SEAT refer to it as the Active Info Display and Digital Cockpit, respectively.
Does the Audi Technology Pack merit its price?
From the outstanding satellite navigation system to the captivating Virtual Cockpit, the Audi Tech Pack has several fantastic features.
You will receive value for your money by choosing the tech pack for your brand-new Audi automobile because it has one of the greatest infotainment systems available.
About The Author: Rowan Harris
Our electric car fanatic is Rowan. He is well-versed in the current EV subsidies and grants, and he knows his Type 2 charger from his CHAdeMO charger. Rowan is the man to talk to if you want to know more about electric vehicles.
How do I modify the Audi A3’s digital speedometer?
When you push the button with the horizontal lines to the left of the steering wheel, the digital speedometer will appear on the display. Use the scroll wheel, which is also on the left, to find the third item down and press the scroll wheel in to pick it.
Can Audi MMI be upgraded to Apple CarPlay?
By doing the following, you can link Apple CarPlay to the Audi MMI system: After making sure that Bluetooth is turned on for your iPhone, select “Phone” from the MMI’s main menu. Select “Connect mobile device” from the menu. Once it displayed on the screen, select your device and permit pairing with your Audi.