One of these three artifacts can win the world. Although it is a joke played by netizens, it directly reflects the brand characteristics of BBA. Among them, Odibe added a title: Lamp Factory.
Interestingly, the history is not as long as that of Mercedes-Benz, and the fame is not as big as that of BMW Angel Eye, but Audi has been able to enjoy the name of lamp factory for many years. Just because Audi's headlights are particularly bright?
It all started in the 1990s.
Headlight technology: from halogen lamp to digital projector
In the 1980 s, the headlights on cars were all halogen headlights, and the internal light source was incandescent bulbs. The color temperature of emitted light is usually around 2700K K. ..
Everyone lived in peace until 1994 the first generation Audi A8 came out. It not only adopted an all-aluminum body, but also provided engines with three displacements of 2.8L, 3.7L and 4.2L, even though the standard wheelbase version A8 and the long wheelbase version A8L were introduced at that time. These were all unprecedented innovations at that time.
At best, the above-mentioned "SAO operation" only makes luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW feel the crisis, and there is another configuration on the original A8 that completely revolutionizes the automobile circle, that is, the use of xenon headlights.
△ Left: Halogen lamp? Right: Xenon lamp
Xenon headlamps refer to headlamps equipped with gas discharge lamps. Compared with the color temperature of halogen light source 2700K, the color temperature of xenon lamp can reach 4200K, and the brightness of the light it emits is stronger, and the illumination chromaticity is closer to the white light emitted by the sun, which has better road lighting effect. At the same time, the energy consumption of xenon lamp is reduced by about 20%, and the service life is greatly increased.
Automobile Wulin, xenon headlights, command the world, dare not follow.
For a time, the automobile circle set off a wave of transformation to xenon headlights. Just when everyone just caught up with Audi's footsteps, I didn't expect this sentence to be unsaid.
The LED is out, who will compete?
In 2004, Audi once again pushed headlight technology to a new height, adding LED to daytime running lights for the first time, which was also applied to Audi A8.
Light emitting diode (led) is a semiconductor device that converts electric energy into light energy. Their working efficiency is extremely high: low energy consumption and high light output efficiency.
Compared with xenon headlights, LED headlights bring a longer visual range, higher efficiency, and double benefits of safety and comfort. The color temperature of LED is about 5500K, which is closer to sunlight, and will hardly cause any visual fatigue, which is helpful for drivers in dark and bad weather. In rainy and foggy weather, LED headlights can reduce glare caused by reflected light. More importantly, LED is maintenance-free and its service life is equivalent to that of a car.
In just ten years, Audi has completed the second leap in the headlight era, which has completely opened the distance with the world. The name of the lamp factory also comes from this.
During this period, Audi also became the first automobile manufacturer to obtain the EU eco-innovation certificate due to LED technology.
However, the evolution of Audi's headlights continues. In 20 13, Audi introduced the concept of matrix LED on the basis of LED. 20 14 was used for the first time on the mid-term modified model of the third generation Audi A8.
It uses 25 independent light emitting diodes in the high beam, and each LED lamp body can be adjusted or turned off independently. From then on, the high beam will no longer be a dazzling and annoying weapon.
At the same time, the matrix LED headlight technology has also given the headlights new vitality, making the headlights "move" for the first time. When you turn the turn signal, it is no longer monotonous flashing, but will light up in turn, forming a brand-new dynamic gradient effect. That's what it feels like to kill the audience with one eye.
In the same year, Audi released an R8 at the Paris Motor Show. The biggest highlight of LMX model is that it is equipped with laser high beam, which doubles the irradiation range of headlights. At this point, the Audi lamp not only has better brightness, but also has a longer shooting distance.
After another three years, 20 17 years, Audi put this laser technology down to the fourth generation Audi A8, and incorporated the organic light-emitting diode taillights, high-definition matrix LED headlights and other elements, which can be said to bring together the world's top headlight technology.
This also gives the car lamp more attributes than just lighting function, and increases the scope of active safety configuration. Including providing the highest precision curve lighting, urban lighting and highway lighting, avoiding other road users by improving the accuracy and supplementing the high beam lighting. When the vehicle speed is at least 70km/h, the laser is started as a spotlight, illuminating a distance of about 600m in front of the vehicle.
In recent years, in the digital age, Audi introduced digital matrix LED headlights on 20 19, and added DMD (digital micromirror device) technology, which made its debut on Audi's first pure electric vehicle, Audi e-tron.
This marks that Audi has once again successfully achieved world innovation in the field of headlights, because it is the first production car with DMD technology. This technology originated from video projector, and its core is a small chip. This small chip integrates 6.5438+0.3 million micromirrors, each of which has a side length of only a few thousandths of a millimeter and can be tilted 5000 times per second.
At the same time, Audi has three major innovations.
The first innovation: This technology can also lay a "light carpet" in front of the car when it is driving on the highway. This so-called "lane light" can illuminate the vehicle's own lane and spread dynamically when changing lanes, thus improving traffic safety.
The second innovation: the positioning light helps the vehicle to keep the lane, especially in narrow sections, by marking the vehicle position as a belt boundary in its own lane.
Third innovation: indicator light used with optional night vision assistance function. It can monitor pedestrians near the roadway and remind drivers through accurate light cones.
Taillight technology: signal function evolved into display screen
Not only headlights, but also Audi's taillights have undergone a series of evolution.
20 1 1, LED provides a new visual unity for the taillights of Audi A6, and the instantaneous response of LED brake lights is 0.2 seconds faster than that of incandescent lamps.
In 20 12, Audi introduced the turn signal with dynamic indication function on the Audi R8. This groundbreaking achievement has since become the standard configuration of Audi. Because of the movement of the turn signal, the driver behind the car can perceive the change of direction more clearly, especially at a long distance and at night.
20 16, Audi TT? RS organic light-emitting diode taillights have opened a new era. Light-emitting diodes use organic materials, and the light it emits is extremely uniform and accurate. Organic light emitting diode (OLED) light source is an ultra-thin surface light source, which does not need a reflective cup. This technology is efficient, lightweight and has a good visual effect.
In 2020, Audi added digital organic light-emitting diode taillight technology to the new Q5, once again making Audi the first automobile manufacturer to digitize taillights on the display screen.
The interior of the lamp group is divided into three matrices, each matrix consists of six parts, each part has different shapes and exclusive characteristics, which makes the new Audi Q5 more recognizable.
In addition, the digital organic light-emitting diode taillight also has an approach detection function: when the Audi Q5 is stationary and another road user approaches from behind to a distance less than 2 meters, all organic light-emitting diode sections will be activated; When the vehicle moves, the taillights will automatically adjust back to the original state. At the same time, the organic light-emitting diode taillights also support the dynamic steering lighting effect, which has different family/family animation effects. When the user chooses the driving mode as "dynamic" mode, the organic light-emitting diode taillights will also change the lighting shape, which makes people unforgettable. Different visual lighting modes.
Audi headlights represent the relationship between technology, design, safety and customer experience. Good connectivity also ensures intelligence and functionality. Car lights have become displays, and the one-dimensional signal and warning functions in the past will evolve into all-round communication with the outside world, and will continue to develop.
Looking ahead, Audi is committed to developing flexible digital organic light-emitting diodes. Using bendable technology, surface modeling can be carried out in one or more directions. This new possibility brings more creative space for taillight design. At the same time, combined with the display function, the "display area" can be covered on both sides of the vehicle, thus further expanding the available area of lighting design.
See here and you will know why only Audi can enjoy the title of lamp factory!
Finally, I attach a brief history of Audi lighting technology development:
1994? The Second Generation Xenon Headlights of Audi A8
2003? Audi adaptive lamp with Audi A8 automatic dynamic headlight range control
2004? Audi A8? W 12？ LED daytime running lights
2007 Audi A4 "Pearl Chain" lamp with daytime running light
2008? Audi R8 full LED headlights are now available in all product lines.
20 10? Audi A8 LED headlights with adaptive lights; Headlights connected to navigation data
20 1 1? Audi A6 LED taillight, with even view.
20 12? Audi R8 dynamic turn signal lamp
20 13? Audi A3 compact car full LED headlights Audi is the first manufacturer of LED eco-innovation technology certified by the European Union. Audi A8 is equipped with Audi matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam.
20 14? Laser is not as good as Audi R8? Additional high beam on LMX
20 15? Lighting assistance center with120m (394ft) long lighting corridor.
20 16? TT？ RS organic light-emitting diode taillights
20 17? High-definition matrix LED headlights, including laser as an additional high beam dynamic lighting scene of Audi A8: access to the portal function of Audi A8.
Digital Matrix LED Headlights (DML) of 20 19 Audi e-tron and Audi e-tronSportback
2020 Audi A3 digital daytime running light signal
Digital Organic Light Emitting Diode Technology of Audi Q5
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.