Porsche made a touching video for Audi’s racing departure, working off the Audi video that had welcomed Porsche back from their absense

Group brothers, fellow countrymen, and gentlemen racing rivals, Porsche and Audi share a long history of racing against each other in the world’s motorsport competitions.

After the Dieselgate scandal took its toll on the VAG Group, Audi decided to retire from the FIA World Endurance Championship, enabling a heartwarming tribute from its fierce competition rival – Porsche.

http://www.inautonews.com/video-porsche-offers-touching-goodbye-for-audis-racing-departure

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Veterans to Technicians Program

Veterans to Technicians aims to connect highly skilled former military personnel with challenging and rewarding new careers as Audi certified service technicians, service consultants, shop foremen and parts specialists in dealerships across the country.

Veterans with proven automotive skills are prioritized, though the program also provides opportunities for veterans with experience in power generation, aviation, welding, electronics, hydraulic systems and maritime systems.

Veterans are ideal employees for Audi dealerships because they are viewed as a natural fit for the brand: the skills, experience, maturity, integrity and work ethic they bring to Audi ultimately translates into a top-level service experience for the customer. These skills are especially valuable today as Audi seeks more technicians to match record product growth.

https://www.audiusa.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/2014/05/audi-veterans-technicians-program-reaches-milestone-helping-more

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GCBC's The Bad 8 For 2017

It's 2017. Cars are faster than ever. More efficient than ever. More capable, more reliable, more available. More... whatever other words end in able. 

But some cars suck.

It's not that sucky cars are, by definition, slow or inefficient or incapable or unreliable or unavailable. They may be none of those things.

But these eight new vehicles certainly aren't desirable. 

You can do better. You must do better. Please, consider the alternatives.

Flip the equation around and we'll phrase it thus: do you want to get us something for Christmas? Please don't get us any of these vehicles. They may be best sellers, they may be worst sellers. But they won't sell to anybody that'll park a vehicle in front of GCBC Towers.

They're listed here for a number of reasons, some for just one reason. Whatever the reason, it's bad enough to cause your sales analyst of choice to reject the car so completely that I'd prefer to own anything else on the market; to reject the car so completely that you, too, should strongly consider avoiding it at all costs.

These eight vehicles have their pluses, but the minuses – however few or however many - far outweigh the positive side of the ledger.

Click any of the images to be taken to the model's Sales Stats page. Don't forget to check out GCBC's The Good 12, the list of vehicles you should definitely park in GCBC Towers' driveway on Christmas morning.

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	FIAT 500L This is the worst new vehicle you can buy. It's not just undesirable. It really is awful by every measurable standpoint. The transmission is horrid. It's chronically unreliable. It's painful to look at. Anything is preferable. Alternative: Kia Soul
	NISSAN VERSA SEDAN Nissan seemingly built a car – cheap to buy, small on the outside, big on the inside – without putting a single moment's worth of extra thought into it. They didn't style it. They didn't make it ride or handle or steer well. They just didn't bother. Alternative: Toyota Yaris iA
	ACURA RLX We get it. You don't want what everybody else wants. They want an E-Class or a 5-Series or an A6. You're different. But "wanting to be different" and "dull" shouldn't go together. They don't go together. Alternative: Genesis G80
	MITSUBISHI MIRAGE As technology advances, as time marches on, as the world turns... the Mitsubishi Mirage doesn't. This car feels like something out of 1998, and not like something that would've been class-leading in 1998. Alternative: Chevrolet Spark
	BMW X4 It's not a proper SUV. It's certainly no coupe. It's not as good as the X3, and certainly not as good-looking. It's just a silly car in a silly class of silly German crossover coupes. You make way too much money to spend it on silliness. Alternative: Mercedes-Benz GLC
	AUDI A3 E-TRON The Audi A3 e-Tron is perfectly pleasant to drive and a handsome car to behold. But Audi is charging a premium price for a small hatchback in an arena where way more technology (and space) is readily available for less money. Alternative: Chevrolet Bolt
	BUICK ENCORE To be fair, it's a struggle to make the case for any subcompact crossover. Spend a little bit more money and you can get a whole lot more utility. And in the Buick's case, it's overstyled, overpriced, underpowered, and uncomfortable. Alternative: New Chevrolet Equinox
	NISSAN TITAN XD If you want a heavy-duty pickup, get a heavy-duty pickup. Nissan, already a niche pickup truck builder, is attempting to create their own, utterly unnecessary truck niche. The XD is a ghastly attempt to do so. Alternative: Ford F-250

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RECOMMENDED READING
2016's The Bad 8
2015's The Bad 8
2014's The Bad 8
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2016 YTD U.S. Sales
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2016 Canadian Sales
2017's The Good 12

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Audi scores with a clever commercial

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2017 Audi A4 Allroad Review - You Don't Need To Understand It To Know It's Good

Cladding.

GM's now defunct Pontiac brand became synonymous with lower bodyside cladding. By the time product guru Bob Lutz smoothed out the sides of Pontiacs, the brand was ready to give up the ghost.

THE GOOD + It's a wagon + Tremendous powertrain + Audi MMI + High-class interior + Real-world ride/handling

THE BAD – Annoying shifter – No Man's Land positioning – Plenty pricey – Still climbing up and out – Not that much of a wagon

But not all cladding is ribbed, body colour stuff like the plastic General Motors slathered across Grand Ams and Grand Prixs and numerous other cars.

Designers also affix extra plastic to vehicles in order to toughen up the exterior appearance. 

Wrap the wheelarches. Run many feet of black cladding along the bottom of the doors. 

The goal is to make the lower portions of both bumpers so matte there'll be no mistaking the rugged mission of your Jeep, or your Land Cruiser, or your G-Wagen. 

Or your European luxury station wagon.

The ride height of Audi's second-generation A4 Allroad is only 23 millimetres higher than the Audi A4 Avant on which it's based; ground clearance is up by 34 millimetres to only 165 millimetres. This is not a high-riding SUV. The 2017 Audi A4 Allroad does not even remotely offer a commanding view of the road ahead.

But there are 100 millimetres of matte black cladding surrounding the front wheels; 114 surrounding the rear wheels. 

WHAT IS IT?
The 2017 Audi A4 sedan is the fifth in a line of compact Audis dating back to 1995. Linked to those A4s have always been wagons, or Avants in Audi parlance.

2017 AUDI A4 ALLROAD TECHNIK Base Price: $49,695 * As-Tested Price: $64,405 * Colour: Glacier White Assembly: Ingolstadt, Germany Drive Type: all-wheel drive Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic Engine: 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4 Horsepower: 252 @ 6000 rpm Torque: 273 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm Curb Weight: 3825 pounds Length: 187.0 inches Width: 72.5 inches Height: 58.8 inches Wheelbase: 110.9 inches Tires: Continental SportContact Tire Size: 245/40R19 Passenger Volume: 2605 litres Cargo Volume: 685 litres Max. Cargo Volume: 1656 litres EPA City: 23 mpg EPA Hwy: 28 mpg NRCAN OEE City: 10.2 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 8.3 L/100km Observed: 24.3 mpg Observed: 9.7 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $2095 in fees.

Up a notch in size and price, Audi's second-generation A6 Avant was transformed into an Allroad with an adjustable suspension and SUV styling cues to create a premium alternative to the Subaru Outback that had arrived half-a-decade earlier. 

Audi no longer offers that car, nor do they sell an A6 Avant, in North America. But Audi brought the Allroad formula to the fourth-generation A4 in the summer of 2012, killing off the A4 Avant in the process (in North America.) 

Now we're entering the age of a new A4, and thus a new A4 Allroad. Our 2017 Audi A4 Allroad tester, loaned to us by Audi Canada at the end of October 2016, was delivered in top-spec Technik trim. The $49,695 Audi A4 Allroad Quattro Komfort is $3900 less than the Allroad Progressiv, $7700 less than a basic Allroad Technik, and $9100 more expensive than an entry-level A4 sedan. 

Added to our test car was $890 Glacier White paint, $300 rear window sun shades, $800 comfort seating, a $1000 head-up display unit, $520 for Audi Connect, a $2000 Advanced Driver Assistance Package (adaptive cruise, Audi pre sense, active lane assist, traffic congestion assist, traffic sign recognition), and a $1400 Sport Package (19-inch wheels, aluminum inlays, and sport seats). Our car did not include the $1000 adaptive dampers. 

Grand total: $64,405.

HOW BIG IS IT?
It's a wagon, but that doesn't mean it's your grandfather's 1982 Ford Country Squire. 

Audi's own Q5 crossover, by no means as spacious as its exterior dimensions suggest, offers 10% more passenger volume and 20% more cargo volume behind the rear seats than the 2017 Audi A4 Allroad.

But compared with the Audi A4 sedan, the Allroad's cargo area is not only more flexible in shape, it's 86% larger. The Allroad is nearly an inch longer than the sedan, bumper to bumper, and requires 2.6 inches of additional clearance at the roof. 

DOES IT WORK?
It was only a few weeks ago that we reviewed the slightly lower, slightly lighter, more aggressively tired, 2017 Audi A4 sedan. The sedan is essentially this Allroad, only lower and lighter and with stickier rubber and a trunk. You can, therefore, read the words from this same section in the A4 sedan's review, and subtract a fragment of edginess from its handling, enhance its ride quality by a pinch, and add more cargo volume. Otherwise, the Does It Work? response from that review fits here.

"On a ten-minute test drive with a sales consultant yammering away in your ear, it's easy to be impressed by the new A4's off-the-line pull, the material quality and assembly, and the new car's reduced noise, vibration, and harshness. But it's more difficult to take note of a car's niggling issues, the minor flaws that you'll regret regret not noticing when you signed on the dotted line.

That's where car reviewers come in, or at least where they should come in. I spent a week driving the 2017 Audi A4, and I can (and will) discuss at length its winning characteristics. But Audi can do that, too. So can your local Audi dealer's sales consultant. In fact, since you are interested in the car, you can likely do so, too. Positivity is the easy part: it's 2016, cars are nice. Expensive cars are especially nice.

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net

But you won't possibly think highly of the 2017 Audi A4's shifter, which possesses no real detents and needs to be thumbed into park via a separate button. Parallel parking in three or five points seemed to always result in the car being in neutral rather than reverse. In the long run, it's minor, and you'll get used to it. Maybe.

The new A4 also does an exceptional job of silencing wind and road noise, but that opens up an avenue for engine clatter, diesely engine clatter, to make its way into the cabin. Rarely does the 2.0T sound pleasant. The engine noise is by no means alarming or obnoxious, but you will notice this minor fault in Audi's NVH work.

The rear seat's centre hump is massive, and for such a lengthy car, the rear seat lacks real space overall, a common complaint in this class. The trunk is vast and properly shaped, however, so you won't have trouble taking four people and their stuff on a trip. But five?

With Audi Drive Select in Comfort mode and the transmission in D, the dual-clutch automatic is reluctant to provide much in the way of throttle response from rest. Perched on a slope, perpendicular to traffic, betwixt corners on a high-speed road? You better goose the throttle, because a quarter-inch of travel gets you nothing otherwise. Or change the drive modes.

Everything about Audi's MMI is user-friendly, enough to negate the need for a plug-in-only and rather limited Apple CarPlay. (CarPlay is great, but it's not all things to all people all the time.) But why does the volume knob, conveniently located on the centre console, have to be so far away from the MMI controller, aft even of the shifter? It's an awkward arm bend away.

These are the kinds of "faults" that jump out during a week with the 2017 Audi A4 Quattro 2.0T precisely because the car is so composed, so comfortable, so technologically advanced, so refined, quick, and quiet.

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Not historically considered a dynamic tour de force, the new A4 both rides and handles better than before. It's still not a feelsome and interactive machine, but the 2017 A4 is a more competent corner carver while, at the same time, able to traverse rough pavement with greater alacrity. Brake feel is much improved, steering weight and directness (in comfort mode) is more natural, and the 252-horsepower 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder provides loads of mid-range punch, helped along by a dual-clutch that can snap off downshifts in a flash.

Cabin comfort is better, too, particularly with our car's sport seats. The bolstering isn't what you'll find in an RS model, but the seats nicely blend comfort with stability.

We expect high levels of build quality in Audis, and the A4 is certainly no slouch. It's in the way the steering wheel stalks move, the climate control knobs twirl, and the cross cabin vents slide. The workmanship befits the lofty price point.

The pervasive sense of quality won't win headlines. That's where Audi's customizable virtual cockpit steps in. Besides all the safety gear we've come to expect in heavily-optioned luxury cars, Google Earth in the middle of your gauge cluster is the item that will most impress your friends. Not only is the system attractive to look at, it's quick to transition between modes, just like the centre screen above the dash. That centre screen doesn't tuck away, mind you, but it feels and looks much more expensive than the unit in Mercedes-Benz's C-Class."

IS ANYONE BUYING IT?
Audi's Canada A4 sales figures don't separate the A4 sedan from the Allroad. We know that overall, A4 sales are on the rise thanks to the newness of the car and despite a general downturn in passenger car sales. 

Total A4 sales reached an 18-month high of 720 units in October 2016.

In the United States, the first Audi A4 Allroad proved to be a rarity, with Audi's own Q5 outselling the Allroad by approximately ten-to-one. With the new car only just reaching dealers and only just beginning to benefit from this marketing campaign, Allroad sales increased in September and October after 21 consecutive months of decline. But even in October, Americans were 12 times more likely to purchase or lease an A4 sedan.

SHOULD I BUY SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD?
Consider three options, only one of which lines up directly against the A4 Allroad because most other premium brands don't market an elevated, SUVified, compact wagon in North America.

The Subaru Outback 3.6R Premium with a technology package costs $43,370. It's not remotely as fun to drive nor as prestigious as the A4 Allroad, but it's very refined and way bigger inside.

Without the Allroad's added ride height – not noticeable in real-world driving anyway – the BMW 328d xDrive Touring is a diesel-powered wagon that starts at $51,945. It'll feel comparatively chintzy inside and won't be as driver-centric as you think BMWs ought to be. But, man, it's cool.

The Volvo V60 Cross Country starts at $47,315, undercutting the A4 Allroad by $2380. Arguably, the Volvo looks better, as well. Don't mistake modern Volvo wagons with the boxy car your uncle, the college professor, drove in the early 90s. But the V60 Cross Country does offer 16% more cargo volume than the Audi A4 Allroad.

And then there's the obvious option. Set to be launched as an all-new second-generation model soon, the Audi Q5 is Canada's top-selling premium brand utility vehicle. The Q5 is priced right, looks the business, and actually allows its occupants to feel like they're sitting up a little higher. You could get the hi-po SQ5 ($60,695) for less than the cost of our heavily optioned A4 Allroad tester.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY?
Presumably, what you want is a luxurious wagon. There aren't many choices. But pumped up with the higher Technik trim level and a further $6910 in options, the Allroad starts to approach the territory of the larger Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon. 

We don't always promote the complete and utter avoidance of options, but in the case of the basic 2017 Audi A4 Allroad Komfort, the car still looks terrific, it's still handsomely equipped, and it's still fitted with this $64,405 A4 Allroad Technik's excellent powertrain. Except it costs $14,710 less.

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?
Admit it. You thought the idea of a sport-utility wagon seemed silly when Subaru first brought the Outback to market in the mid-90s. Now, the Outback is just a normal part of automotive society, and you get it: the Subaru offers genuine SUV ride height, a genuine all-wheel-drive system, and a rugged image fought for over the course of two decades.

The 2017 Audi A4 Allroad is, by comparison, a little lacking in sensibility. Audi increased the ride height so negligibly that you don't notice its benefits in traffic – when looking up at the minivan driver beside you – or in terms of lost handling prowess when caning the wagon on your favourite rural road. So why did they bother?

No, seriously. Why? Crossovers are fine. Canadians are buying far more SUVs/crossovers than cars now. But the Allroad, at best, only barely crosses over from the A4's domain into the Q5's territory.

Why do we need all the cladding, why is the ride height increased at all? Presumably, because the Audi A4 Avant that still exists in other markets simply wouldn't pass muster in North America.

Thankfully, for those who can accept the pretentious SUV cues, the 2017 Audi A4 Allroad is an objectively great car irrespective of our product positioning opinions. We said two months ago that all of the Audi A4 sedan's rivals, "do something better than the new Audi A4. None of them do so many things so well."

Take that decree, and add cargo capacity.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. The Allroad was supplied by Audi Canada's press office.

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Launch of the new Audi A4

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2016 Audi Q2 Specs, Features, Performance Review

2016 Audi Q2 Specs, Features, Performance Review - The supermini hybrid business sector is blasting. Advanced by the Nissan Juke, the most recent expansion will originate from Audi as the 2016 Audi Q2 car. With its 'skimming edge' C-column, a lot of brilliant trims and completes and a young business sector to speak to, the 2016 Audi Q2 review is the thing that Audi portray as a Trojan Horse -

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2016 Audi A3 Sportback Specs, Features, Performance Review

2016 Audi A3 Sportback Specs, Features, Performance Review - The Audi A3 is another weapon in the fight for reduced extravagance purchasers. Another group of vehicles that spaces in beneath the A4 lineup, the 2016 Audi A3 car was presented first for the 2015 model year as a four-entryway car, and now incorporates convertible and module half and half hatchback models, and additionally the 2016

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2016 Audi RS7 Specs, Features, Performance review

2016 Audi RS7 Specs, Features, Performance review - The smooth 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 in the RS7 Performance creates a vigorous 605 drive, only five less than the 5.2-liter V-10 in the blasting quick R8 supercar, in actuality. Its 553 lb-ft of torque outmuscles the R8 by 140 lb-ft and the non-Performance RS7 by 37. The 2016 Audi RS7 car additional yield comes principally from another overboost

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2016 Audi A3 Sportback Specs, Features, Performance Review

2016 Audi A3 Sportback Specs, Features, Performance Review - Audi's littlest vehicle is playing get up to speed to more up to date models in the 2016 Audi A3 car organization's lineup with a redesign that brings updated styling outside and the organization's new "Virtual Cockpit" screen inside. We just have data about the 2016 Audi A3 review European-spec models now, however we're informed that

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Goodbye analog, hello digital

Since 2008, QNX has explored how digital instrument clusters will change the driving experience.

Paul Leroux

Quick: What do the Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi TT, Audi Q7, Corvette Stingray, Jaguar XJ, Land Rover Range Rover, and Mercedes S Class Coupe have in common?

Answer: They would all look awesome in my driveway! But seriously, they all have digital instrument clusters powered by the QNX Neutrino OS.

QNX Software Systems has established a massive beachhead in automotive infotainment and telematics, with deployments in over 60 million cars. But it’s also moving into other growth areas of the car, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), multi-function displays, and, of course, digital instrument clusters.

Retrofitting the QNX reference
vehicle with a new digital cluster.

The term “digital cluster” means different things to different people. To boomers like myself, it can conjure up memories of 1980s dashboards equipped with less-than-sexy segment displays — just the thing if you want your dash to look like a calculator. Thankfully, digital clusters have come a long way. Take, for example, the slick, high-resolution cluster in the Audi TT. Designed to display everything directly in front of the driver, this QNX-powered system integrates navigation and infotainment information with traditional cluster readouts, such as speed and RPM. It’s so advanced that the folks at Audi don’t even call it a cluster — they call it virtual cockpit, instead.

Now here’s the thing: digital clusters require higher-end CPUs and more software than their analog predecessors, not to mention large LCD panels. So why are automakers adopting them? Several reasons come to mind:

• Reusable — With a digital cluster, automakers can deploy the same hardware across multiple vehicle lines simply by reskinning the graphics.
• Simple — Digital clusters can help reduce driver distraction by displaying only the information that the driver currently requires.
• Scalable — Automakers can add functionality to a digital cluster by changing the software only; they don’t have to incur the cost of machining or adding new physical components.
• Attractive — A digital instrument cluster can enhance the appeal of a vehicle with eye-catching graphics and features.
   

In addition to these benefits, the costs of high-resolution LCD panels and the CPUs needed to drive them are dropping, making digital instrument clusters an increasingly affordable alternative.

2008: The first QNX cluster
It’s no coincidence that so many automakers are using the QNX Neutrino OS in their digital clusters. For years now, QNX Software Systems has been exploring how digital clusters can enhance the driving experience and developing technologies to address the requirements of cluster developers.

Let’s start with the very first digital cluster that the QNX team created, a proof-of-concept that debuted in 2008. Despite its vintage, this cluster has several things in common with our more recent clusters — note, for example, the integrated turn-by-turn navigation instructions:



For 2008, this was pretty cool. But as an early proof-of-concept, it lacked some niceties, such as visual cues that could suggest which information is, or isn’t, currently important. For instance, in this screenshot, the gauges for fuel level, engine temperature, and oil pressure all indicate normal operation, so they don’t need to be so prominent. They could, instead, be shrunk or dimmed until they need to alert the driver to a critical change — and indeed, we explored such ideas soon after we created the original design. As you’ll see, the ability to prioritize information for the driver becomes quite sophisticated in subsequent generations of our concept clusters.

Did you know? To create this 2008 cluster, QNX engineers used Adobe Flash Lite 3 and OpenGL ES.

2010: Concept cluster in a Chevrolet Corvette
Next up is the digital cluster in the first QNX technology concept car, based on a Chevrolet Corvette. If the cluster design looks familiar, it should: it’s modeled after the analog cluster that shipped in the 2010-era ‘Vettes. It’s a great example of how a digital instrument cluster can deliver state-of-the-art features, yet still honor the look-and-feel of an established brand. For example, here is the cluster in “standard” mode, showing a tachometer, just as it would in a stock Corvette:



And here it is again, but with something that you definitely wouldn’t find in a 2010 Corvette cluster — an integrated navigation app:



Did you know? The Corvette is the only QNX technology concept car that I ever got to drive.

2013: Concept cluster in a Bentley Continental GT
Next up is the digital cluster for the 2013 QNX technology concept car, based on a Bentley Continental GT. This cluster took the philosophy embodied in the Corvette cluster — honor the brand, but deliver forward-looking features — to the next level.

Are you familiar with the term Trompe-l’œil? It’s a French expression that means “deceive the eye” and it refers to art techniques that make 2D objects appear as if they are 3D objects. It’s a perfect description of the gorgeously realistic virtual gauges we created for the Bentley cluster:



Because it was digital, this cluster could morph itself on the fly. For instance, if you put the Bentley in Drive, the cluster would display a tach, gas gauge, temperature gauge, and turn-by-turn directions — the cluster pulled these directions from the head unit’s navigation system. And if you threw the car into Reverse, the cluster would display a video feed from the car’s backup camera. The cluster also had other tricks up its digital sleeve, such as displaying information from the car’s media player.

Did you know? The Bentley came equipped with a 616 hp W12 engine that could do 0-60 mph in a little over 4 seconds. Which may explain why they never let me drive it.

2014: Concept cluster in a Mercedes CLA45 AMG

Plymouth safety speedometer, c 1939

Up next is the 2014 QNX technology concept car, based on Mercedes CLA45 AMG. But before we look at its cluster, let me tell you about the Plymouth safety speedometer. Designed to curb speeding, it alerted the driver whenever he or she leaned too hard on the gas.

But here’s the thing: the speedometer made its debut in 1939. And given the limitations of 1939 technology, the speedometer couldn’t take driving conditions or the local speed limit into account. So it always displayed the same warnings at the same speeds, no matter what the speed limit.

Connectivity to the rescue! Some modern navigation systems include information on local speed limits. By connecting the CLA45’s concept cluster to the navigation system in the car’s head unit, the QNX team was able to pull this information and display it in real time on the cluster, creating a modern equivalent of Plymouth's 1939 invention.

Look at the image below. You’ll see the local speed limit surrounded by a red circle, alerting the driver that they are breaking the limit. The cluster could also pull other information from the head unit, including turn-by-turn directions, trip information, album art, and other content normally relegated to the center display:



Did you know? Our Mercedes concept car is still alive and well in Germany, and recently made an appearance at the Embedded World conference in Nuremburg.

2015: Concept cluster in a Maserati Quattroporte
Up next is the 2015 QNX technology concept car, based on a Maserati Quattroporte GTS. Like the cluster in the Mercedes, this concept cluster provided speed alerts. But it could also recommend an appropriate speed for upcoming curves and warn of obstacles on the road ahead. It even provided intelligent parking assist to help you back into tight spaces.

Here is the cluster displaying a speed alert:



And here it is again, using input from a LiDAR system to issue a forward collision warning:



Did you know? Engadget selected the “digital mirrors” we created for the Maserati as a finalist for the Best of CES Awards 2015.

2015 and 2016: Concept clusters in QNX reference vehicle
The QNX reference vehicle, based on a Jeep Wrangler, is our go-to vehicle for showcasing the latest capabilities of the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment. But it also does double-duty as a technology concept vehicle. For instance, in early 2015, we equipped the Jeep with a concept cluster that provides lane departure warnings, collision detection, and curve speed warnings. For instance, in this image, the cluster is recommending that you reduce speed to safely navigate an upcoming curve:



Just in time for CES 2016, the Jeep cluster got another makeover that added crosswalk notifications to the mix:



Did you know? Jeep recently unveiled the Trailcat, a concept Wrangler outfitted with a 707HP Dodge Hellcat engine.

2016: Glass cockpit in a Toyota Highlander
By now, you can see how advances in sensors, navigation databases, and other technologies enable us to integrate more information into a digital instrument cluster, all to keep the driver aware of important events in and around the vehicle. In our 2016 technology concept vehicle, we took the next step and explored what would happen if we did away with an infotainment system altogether and integrated everything — speed, RPM, ADAS alerts, 3D navigation, media control and playback, incoming phone calls, etc. — into a single cluster display.

On the one hand, this approach presented a challenge, because, well… we would be integrating everything into a single display! Things could get busy, fast. On the other hand, this approach presents everything of importance directly in front of the driver, where it is easiest to see. No more glancing over at a centrally mounted head unit.

Simplicity was the watchword. We had to keep distraction to a minimum, and to do that, we focused on two principles: 1) display only the information that the driver currently requires; and 2) use natural language processing as the primary way to control the user interface. That way, drivers can access infotainment content while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

For instance, in the following scenario, the cockpit allows the driver to see several pieces of important information at a glance: a forward-collision warning, an alert that the car is exceeding the local speed limit by 12 mph, and map data with turn-by-turn navigation:



This design also aims to minimize the mental translation, or cognitive processing, needed on the part of the driver. For instance, if you exceed the speed limit, the cluster doesn’t simply show your current speed. It also displays a red line (visible immediately below the 52 mph readout) that gives you an immediately recognizable hint that you are going too fast. The more you exceed the limit, the thicker the red line grows.

The 26262 connection
Today’s digital instrument clusters require hardware and software solutions that can support rich graphics and high-level application environments while also displaying critical information (e.g. engine warning lights, ABS indicators) in a fast and highly reliable fashion. The need to isolate critical from non-critical software functions in the same environment is driving the requirement for ISO 26262 certification of digital clusters.

QNX OS technology, including the QNX OS for Safety, is ideally suited for environments where a combination of infotainment, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), and safety-related information are displayed. Building a cluster with the ISO 26262 ASIL-D certified QNX OS for Safety can make it simpler to keep software functions isolated from each other and less expensive to certify the end cluster product.

The partner connection
Partnerships are also important. If you had the opportunity to drop by our booth at 2016 CES, you would have seen a “cluster innovation wall” that showcases QNX OS technology integrated with user interface design tools from the industry’s leading cluster software providers, including 3D Incorporated’s REMO HMI Runtime, Crank Software’s Storyboard Suite, DiSTI Corporation’s GL Studio, Elektrobit’s EB GUIDE, HI Corporation’s exbeans UI Conductor, and Rightware’s Kanzi UI software. This pre-integration with a rich choice of partner tools enables our customers to choose the user interface technologies and design approaches that best address their instrument cluster requirements.

For some partner insights on digital cluster design, check out these posts:

• Elektrobit — Digital instrument clusters and the road to autonomous driving
• Crank — Reimagining digital instrument cluster design
• Rightware — Top 5 challenges of digital instrument clusters
• Disti — Bringing safety assurance to automotive instrument clusters

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Markets Roundup September 2015

Dieselgate: Early signs on VAG Plug-in models sales

Although still early to see definitive trends, for that we will need to wait for October and November numbers, i tried to spot in the September sales some early signs of any disruption pattern in Volkswagen Group's most significant EV's, namely the e-Golf and e-Up! pure electrics and the Golf GTE and Audi A3 e-Tron plug-in hybrids.

The scandal can work in two ways for these cars, either consumers opt out in any model from VAG, hurting their sales, or buyers switch from a regular VW diesel model to their Plug-in version, as can be the case in the Audi A3 or VW Golf. 

So, let's have a look at last month performance, model by model:


Volkswagen Golf GTE

- Sales drop in Netherlands, with 335 units, worst result in six months and dropping to Third in September, after four consecutive months as Best Seller;

- Worst sales month ever in Belgium, with eight units;

- Personal best in Portugal, with eight units.


Volkswagen e-Golf

- No sales last month in Spain, the first time it has happened since it landed there.


Audi A3 e-Tron

- 76 units were sold in France, its worst result in six months and the first time since February it dropped from the 100 units/month;

- Significant drop in the Netherlands and Norway, worst result since January in both countries;

- Personal best in Spain, with 21 units.


Volkwagen e-Up!

- Worst performance of the year in Norway;

- Only two units in Austria, the lowest sales level in six months;


As it is possible to see, the worst performers in September were the Audi A3 e-Tron and VW Golf GTE, with significant drops in high volume markets, like Netherlands or Norway, wih only two bright spots in secondary, low volume markets.

The pure electric models e-Golf and e-Up! seem to have coped better with the rough times, but truth be told, their general numbers aren't as high as their plug-hybrid relatives, and in the case of the little e-Up! sales have been dropping also for quite a long time.

 






Trends in the G8 

Renault rules in France, BYD does it also in China, while in Japan, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV finally has a real shot at beating the Nissan Leaf for the Best Seller Title, something it has consistently been doing in the UK for the last year.

Tesla manages to keep to itself the leadership in the US, while Volkswagen had significant drops in Norway and Netherlands (See above), and finally in Germany, Volkswagen leads in the manufacturers ranking, but in the models chart, the First Place is very much open to debate, with five(!) models with realistic aspirations to be the Best Seller, with only three months to go!

Looking at Market Share, the only two dark spots are the US (0,6% now vs 0,7% last year), continuing to wait for better days (*cough* Chevrolet Volt II *cough*), and Japan, on a sales dive with no end in sight, but looking at the rest of the pack, things vary between the moderatly optimistic, like France (1,28% vs 0,91%) or Germany (0,63% vs 0,44%) and China's exponential growth (0,71% vs 0,25%), with Norway (22% vs 14%) and Netherlands (6% vs 4%) also growing at a fast pace.

Trends in other Markets 

Looking at other markets, we should mention the extraordinary result of the Outlander PHEV in Spain and Portugal, taking the lead there, as well as the extraordinary results of Tesla in Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and Hong Kong, not only leading the EV ranking in those countries, but also making an impact in its size class, sometimes putting to shame the usual leaders from BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

Belgium buyers continue their love affair with the Porsche Cayenne Plug-in, like Sweden does with the Outlander PHEV and Ireland with the Nissan Leaf, while the Renault Fluence ZE is having a rebirth in South Korea, in the shape of the Samsung SM3 ZE, which is now the leader of the EV market in this high potential market.

Looking at Market Share, if the EV markets in Estonia and Latvia have just imploded, others are the other way around, with Hong Kong rising exponentially to 3% share, up from 0,46% last year, Switzerland is also up significantly to 1,95%, up from 0,75%, while in the Ukraine plug-ins are now at 1% share, up from virtually...Zero last year.

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New Models for the Rest of 2015

New Models for the Second Half of the Year

Pure electrics have been resisting quite well to the new wave of PHEV's, mostly thanks to Tesla and the Nissan Leaf, but in the second half of year more Plug-in Hybrids will arrive, and PHEV Share should rebound, not only the refreshed Chevrolet Volt will make its impact, but there's a bundle of new PHEV's coming, particularly SUV's, and only one pure electric to help balance the numbers:

BYD Tang - The manufacturer claims this SUV has even more demand than the Qin, so the chinese  EV leadership should belong to it in the future. Sales target for this year: 15.000.

Chevrolet Volt II - Pushing the plug-in sales boundaries (only) in America, the second generation of the Volt could reach some 10.000 units this year and then step up in 2016.

Tesla Model X - Its production has been pushed back so many times that people wonder if it will land this year, after all there isn't still an official picture of the Real Deal, but having faith that deliveries do start as promised, in September, expect small numbers in the beginning, as Tesla will watch closely how the Falcon Wings Doors behave. Sales target for 2015: 4.000 units.

Volkswagen Passat GTE - There hasn't been many plug-ins in this particular segment, but the recent arrival of the Mercedes C-Class PHEV is just the first of many new players preparing to enter the game, the Passat GTE is another addition, based on the success of the regular Passat and of the Golf GTE, i think this has all the ingredients to replicate their success and reach some 3.000 units.

Hyundai Sonata Plug-In - The Korean automaker has arrived late to the plug-in train, is it ready to pick-up on the lost time? The Sonata PHEV is the first model on which we can evaluate if the Korean brand is going plug-in for real or not. Kia has only sold 1.500 Soul EV this year, so we'd better not expect a lot from these guys...Sales target: 1.500 units

BMW X5 Plug-In - The fourth plug-in of the BMW stable, it will be a strong contender for the Premium SUV PHEV trophy, but the Cayenne has already a big lead for this years trophy. Sales target: 1.500 units.

Volvo XC90 Plug-In - The regular XC90 is having an overwhelming reception and the T8 (PHEV) version waiting list is getting longer and longer...If Volvo can make them fast enough, i would say that some 1.500 units could be registered this year.

Audi Q7 e-Tron - Another addition to the Premium barge large SUV niche, Audi is looking to replicate the plug-in A3 in a XXL format. Sales target: 1.500 units.

BYD Song and Yuan - These smaller plug-in SUV's were shown earlier this year and the question remains: Will they arrive in time to land this year? If so, will they sell in significant numbers? My guess is a December launch, just in time to enter this year ranking.

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It seems like only yesterday...

By Megan Alink, Director of Marketing Communications for Automotive

What were you doing on September 14, 1999? It was likely an inauspicious day for most people, but for QNX, the date represented our official entry into the automotive market:

Don’t get me wrong — QNX was no tentative newcomer on the scene. After all, we were marking almost two decades in the embedded software business. QNX OS technology was already powering mission-critical systems for credit card processing, energy generation, healthcare, mail sorting, precision manufacturing, mining, security, and warehouse automation worldwide. (Whew!) But it was time to take that reliability and flexibility to more markets, ones with needs similar to our existing customer base. Enter automotive. (And we did.)

Today, we are pleased to be able to say that QNX software is found in more than 60 million vehicles on the road. In telematics systems like OnStar. In infotainment services like Volkswagen's RNS 850 GPS navigation system and Ford SYNC 3. In the digital instrument clusters of the state-of-the-art Audi TT and Mercedes S-Class Coupé.

60 million is a very big number. Obviously, we wouldn’t have reached this milestone without the support of our Tier 1 customers who build QNX into their systems every day, the 40+ automakers who choose these QNX-based systems, and our ecosystem of automotive partners who enrich our offering with their market-leading innovations. We want to thank all of these companies for the exciting and challenging opportunities they give us. Here’s to the next 60 million!

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The A to Z of QNX in cars

Over 26 fast facts, brought to you by the English alphabet

Paul Leroux

A is for Audi, one of the first automakers to use QNX technology in its vehicles. For more than 15 years, Audi has put its trust in QNX, in state-of-the-art systems like the Audi virtual cockpit and the MIB II modular infotainment system. A is also for QNX acoustics software, which enhances hands-free voice communications, eliminates “boom noise” created by fuel-saving techniques, and even helps automakers create signature sounds for their engines.

B is for Bentley, BMW, and Buick, and for their QNX-powered infotainment systems, which include BMW ConnectedDrive and Buick Intellilink.

C is for concept vehicles, including the latest QNX technology concept car, a modded Maserati Quattroporte GTS. The car integrates an array of technologies — including cameras, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, and specialized navigation engines — to show how QNX-based ADAS systems can simplify driving tasks, warn of possible collisions, and enhance driver awareness.

D is for the digital instrument clusters in vehicles from Alpha Romeo, Audi, GM, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, and Land Rover. These QNX-powered displays can reconfigure themselves on the fly, providing quick, convenient access to turn-by-turn directions, back-up video, incoming phone calls, and a host of other information.

E is for experience. QNX has served the automotive market since the late 1990s, working with car makers and tier one suppliers to create infotainment systems for tens of millions of vehicles. QNX has been at work in safety-critical industrial applications even longer — since the 1980s. This unique pedigree makes QNX perfectly suited for the next generation of in-vehicle systems, which will consolidate infotainment and safety-related functions on a single, cost-effective platform.

F is for Ford, which has chosen the QNX Neutrino OS for its new SYNC 3 infotainment system. The system will debut this summer in the 2016 Ford Escape and Ford Fiesta and will be one of the first infotainment systems to support both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

G is for GM and its QNX-based OnStar system, which is now available in almost all of the company’s vehicles. GM also uses QNX OS and acoustics technology in several infotainment systems, including the award-winning Chevy MyLink.

H is for hypervisor. By using the QNX Hypervisor, automotive developers can consolidate multiple OSs onto a single system-on-chip to reduce the cost, size, weight, and power consumption of their designs. The hypervisor can also simplify safety certification efforts by keeping safety-related and non-safety-related software components isolated from each other.

I is for the ISO 26262 standard for functional safety in road vehicles. The QNX OS for Automotive Safety has been certified to this standard, at Automotive Safety Integrity Level D — the highest level achievable. This certification makes the OS suitable for a wide variety of digital clusters, heads-up displays, and ADAS applications, from adaptive cruise control to pedestrian detection.

J is for Jeep. The QNX reference vehicle, based on a Jeep Wrangler, showcases what the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment can do out of the box. In its latest iteration, the reference vehicle ups the ante with traffic sign detection, lane departure warnings, curve speed warnings, collision avoidance alerts, backup displays, and other ADAS features for enhancing driver awareness.

K is for Kia, which uses QNX technology in the infotainment and connectivity systems for several of its vehicles.

L is for LG, a long-time QNX customer that is using several QNX technologies to develop a new generation of infotainment systems, digital clusters, and ADAS systems for the global automotive market.

M is for Mercedes-Benz, which offers QNX-based infotainment systems in several of its vehicles, including the head unit and digital instrument cluster in the S Class Coupe. M is also for market share: according to IHS Automotive, QNX commands more than 50% of the infotainment software market.

N is for navigation. Thanks to the navigation framework in the QNX CAR Platform, automakers can integrate a rich variety of navigation solutions into their cars.

O is for the over-the-air update solution of the BlackBerry IoT Platform, which will help automakers cut maintenance costs, reduce expensive recalls, improve customer satisfaction, and keep vehicles up to date with compelling new features long after they have rolled off the assembly line.

P is for partnerships. When automotive companies choose QNX, they also tap into an incredibly rich partner ecosystem that provides infotainment apps, smartphone connectivity solutions, navigation engines, automotive processors, voice recognition engines, user interface tools, and other pre-integrated technologies. P is also for Porsche, which uses the QNX Neutrino OS in its head units, and for Porsche 911, which formed the basis of one of the first QNX concept cars.

Q is for the QNX CAR Platform for Infotainment, a comprehensive solution that pre-integrates partner technologies with road-proven QNX software to jump-start customer projects.

R is for the reliability that QNX OS technology brings to advanced driver assistance systems and other safety-related components in the vehicle — the same technology proven in space shuttles, nuclear plants, and medical devices.

S is for the security expertise and solutions that Certicom and QNX bring to automotive systems. S is also for the advanced smartphone integration of the QNX CAR Platform, which allows infotainment systems to support the latest brought-in solutions, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. S is also for the scalability of QNX technology, which allows customers to use a single software platform across all of their product lines, from high-volume economy vehicles to luxury models. And last, but not least, S is for the more than sixty million vehicles worldwide that use QNX technology. (S sure is a busy letter!)

T is for Toyota, which uses QNX technology in infotainment systems like Entune and Touch ‘n’ Go. T is also for tools: using the QNX Momentics Tool Suite, automotive developers can root out subtle bugs and optimize the performance of their sophisticated, multi-core systems.

U is for unified user interface. With QNX, automotive developers can choose from a rich set of user interface technologies, including Qt, HTML5, OpenGL ES, and third-party toolkits. Better yet, they can blend these various technologies on the same display, at the same time, for the ultimate in design flexibility.

V is for the Volkswagen vehicles, including the Touareg, Passat, Polo, Golf, and Golf GTI, that use the QNX Neutrino OS and QNX middleware technology in their infotainment systems.

W is for the QNX Wireless Framework, which brings smartphone-caliber connectivity to infotainment systems, telematics units, and a variety of other embedded devices. The framework abstracts the complexity of modem control, enabling developers to upgrade cellular and Wi-Fi hardware without having to rewrite their applications.

X, Y, and Z are for the 3D navigation solutions and the 3D APIs and partner toolkits supported by the QNX CAR Platform. I could show you many examples of these solutions in action, but my personal favorite is the QNX technology concept car based on a Bentley Continental GT. Because awesome.

Before you go... This post mentions a number of automotive customers, but please don’t consider it a complete list. I would have gotten them all in, but I ran out of letters!

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