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Mike Bantick30 Jul 2015
ADVICE

Audi Virtual Cockpit Infotainment Review

It's a new way to take in information visually, but does it actually work?

Audi is riding high with the new TT.

European sales of the new model rose by 78.1 per cent during the first half of 2015, helped too by the introduction of the soft-top (Roadster) version. Whether it's the hardtop or the roadster, there is plenty to like in this technology-packed sports car – including one particular feature, the swish Virtual Cockpit.

In the TT, Virtual Cockpit retains all the functionality of a traditional infotainment system – but in a simpler, compact format for the small sports car's cabin. The TT's tiny cabin becomes something of an excuse to move the traditional centre fascia screen, remove the need for a touch screen and replace any analogue dials for the driver with a dash-sized vibrant colour screen.

All the standard entertainment and car set-up information is available, but Virtual Cockpit also provides the driver with the normal essential driving data, such as tachometer, speed, fuel and environmental without the need to shift visual attention to another part of the dash.

Freeing up the centre fascia from the burden of accommodating a screen means Audi can integrate the aircon controls into a stylish trio of circular vents, and keep the rest of the centre real-estate as sparse as a minimalist interior designer's dream.

On screen the Virtual Cockpit opens a tab for each function with each tab colour themed. Commonly and recently used functions are selectable quickly with tab buttons on the steering wheel.

The TT is a very driver-centric car, whilst all of the infotainment features have alternative "hard" switches on the centre console along with the MMI (Multi Media Interface) touch controller. All of those are well within reach of the passenger, and overenthusiastic back-seat teenagers wishing to change the radio settings as soon as they get inside. Only the driver gets unobstructed vision of the Virtual Cockpit screen.

So ultimately, it is the driver that has control of the infotainment. In some family circles, that's a win.

Two SD card slots, along with the CD player are hidden away in the glove box and a USB or 3.5mm auxiliary audio jack for media input is located in the Audi "phone box" under the centre fascia. All of those can feed media into the entertainment system.

We hooked up a small portable hard drive to the USB port and tucked it easily away inside the slide-shut phone box. Media played without issue from the HDD, both audio as well as video that the driver can enjoy on the Virtual Cockpit screen when parked.

The TT sports an eleven GB hard drive jukebox to transfer and store your media in a more permanent way.

Bluetooth connectivity of your smartphone is straight forward and conventional, in keeping with today's expectations. In fact it is here that you begin to get a little jealous of features available in the TT's manual, but only in overseas models.

There are no Audi Connect options on the local 2015 TT, no SIM card slot to enable many of the internet related wiz-bangery we see on comparable manufacturer systems.  This means, even though the TT will create a car-wide WiFi hotspot, connectable by smart devices, it does not achieve much. In fact, disappointingly, at the time of writing, the MMI Connect App is not available on the local Apple App Store to allow connected devices to stream media via WiFi to the infotainment system.

Furthermore we could not get any other UPnP application – as suggested in the manual – to function as a media server within the hot-spot confines of the vehicle either.

Digital radio was also not present in our test TT, but for an extra $500 you can option DAB. Likewise a digital TV tuner can also be added for a couple of grand, if you are in the mood to pull over by the side of the road on your lonesome to watch some football.

The voice control system is responsive enough, it does take some practice and familiarity with available commands however; the on-screen prompts are not initially intuitive, and by default are tuned to whichever tab is currently active on screen.

Of course what you will be showing off to every neighbour you can gather around your new TT is the satellite navigation map. The map is vibrant and informative without being over-cluttered with icons. TMC traffic messages relay appropriate warnings such as heavy traffic or lane closures ahead.

Even without the pleasant 2D or optional 3D map filling the Virtual Cockpit screen the driver can get the visual navigation info they need as a mini-map incorporated into the speedometer.

There is no doubt, the Audi Virtual Cockpit adds another exciting element to an already excitement-laden sports-car offering.

It really is not an exceptional feature set as an infotainment offering but it is wrapped up in a stylishly presented package. Whilst there is not a lot for passengers to play with, who really wants a passenger cluttering up your fashionable weekend spin?

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Written byMike Bantick
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