2001 Audi S4 Avant Wagon 4-door 2.7l 6-speed on 2040-cars

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Audi gets into tablet market with Android-powered Smart Display

Relatively small in newsworthiness compared with laser-equipped hybrids and all-new cockpit concepts, Audi has also announced a branded, Android-powered tablet called Smart Display at CES this week.
Audi has partnered with Google for its in-car computing software for years now, so it's hardly surprising to hear that its first foray into the world of tablets runs a Google OS (which one is still unclear), and has Android guts. Sorry, iPad users. The 10.2-inch tablet wears a lovely aluminum chassis that seems right in line with Audi's typical industrial design, and is packed with Nvidia's Tegra T40 processor.
Smart Display is meant to highlight the upcoming cleverness of Audi's newly announced in-car LTE connectivity (by way of continued partnership with AT&T). Users can, in theory, access the Google Play store while on the go, and then download and fiddle with Android-based apps until their very hearts are content. By "users" we mean "passengers" here, and so does Audi, though we're not exactly sure if there are measures in place to keep a driver from tableting while driving.

Audi Quattro tech shoots for the moon

Most automakers seem satisfied building vehicles to drive on the Earth's surface. But not Audi. The German automaker is quite literally shooting for the moon with the vehicle you see here. Called the Audi Lunar Quattro, it forms what promises to be an integral part of one team's campaign for the Google Lunar Xprize. That team calls itself Part-Time Scientists, and is the only German contingent of the 25 that originally entered from around the world and the 15 that are still in the race. Sponsored and technically assisted by Audi, the Lunar Quattro is a solar-powered moon rover. It packs an adjustable solar panel and a lithium-ion battery powering four individual hub motors – one in each wheel. It can only travel at a theoretical maximum of 2.2 miles per hour, but outright speed isn't the point here. It's been designed to traverse the difficult terrain of the moon's finely dusted and craggy surface. It'll need to travel at least 500 meters (1,640 feet) and will transmit high-definition video footage from the twin stereoscopic camera on its swiveling head back to Earth. The lunar rover is scheduled to be launched aboard a rocket from Earth to the moon by the end of 2017. The 240,000-mile trip will take five days and is targeted to land north of the moon's equator – close to the place where Apollo 17 (NASA's last manned lunar mission) landed back in 1972. Before that, though, it'll be presented by Audi sales chief Luca de Meo (who's since been named the head of Seat) at the Cannes Innovations Days forum. You can check it out in the gallery and extensive press release below, but first, we suggest you watch the video playlist above while preparing to check out tonight's red moon eclipse. Related Video: Moon landing mission: AUDI AG supports the German Team at Google Lunar XPRIZE Audi is taking off for the moon – together with the Part-Time Scientists team. The group of German engineers are working within the framework of the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition to transport an unmanned rover onto Earth's natural satellite. Audi is supporting the Part-Time Scientists with its know-how in several fields of technology – from quattro drive and lightweight construction to electric mobility and piloted driving. The moon rover will be named the "Audi lunar quattro." "The concept of a privately financed mission to the moon is fascinating," says Luca de Meo, Audi Board Member for Sales and Marketing. "And innovative ideas need supporters that promote them.

Driving the Audi E-Tron and training like an F1 driver | Autoblog Podcast #597

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Senior Producer Chris McGraw. First, they talk about what they love and don't love about living with the Polestar-tuned Volvo XC90 T6. Then, they talk about how much they've enjoyed driving the all-electric Audi E-Tron. McGraw lets us know what it's like to eat and train like a Formula One driver for a month, and then we tell him which Toyota or Lexus SUV he should buy. Autoblog Podcast #597 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2020 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD R-Design 2019 Audi E-Tron Training like an Formula One driver Spend McGraw's Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: