MotorAuthority

Audi and Futuremark reveal next-gen dashboard tech

Posted Thu Aug 28 2008 7:05 PM by Alex Kaufmann

Audi has teamed up with an expert in computer graphics, California’s Futuremark, to develop new technology for its future dashboard display systems. The two companies have developed an electronic dash concept, which will be on display for the first time at this week’s NVISION software event in San Jose, California.

The next-generation dashboard design features a fully electronic instrument panel and central screen, with both 3D and 2D views and full customization of the display and controls. The graphics are rendered in real-time, and can switch between the standard speedo/tacho and navigation systems or both at the same time on a single screen.

“We are delighted to work with Audi due to their professional expertise in the car industry,” said Futuremark design chief Petri Talala. “Audi is a leader in this field with sophisticated, real-time rendered and high quality content available for future infotainment systems, and being able to have our graphics engine experts and artists contribute to this effort is very special for Futuremark.”

The software company, which was the primary development team behind the complex system, is now planning to license the technology, and is even working on a new automotive application that will combine everything, including the instrument panel, infotainment and navigation system, all in one single touchscreen interface.

story Tags:

• Audi
• Concept cars
• Gadgets

Reader Comments

• Fri Aug 29 2008 9:30 AM

  christopher says

  this sound like a graet idea for audi i like the idea of a hud with the nagivation and spedo/tach that can be all together in one screen

• Sat Aug 30 2008 12:44 AM

  InkMaster says

  Bullshit.
  
  "Audi has teamed up with an expert in computer graphics..."
  
  "Partnering" with some graphics company won't help. Audi (along w/ just about every other manufacturer) have been putting out amazing designs for their dashboards/UIs etc for years and years on all their concept cars, without the need of a "partnership" with "experts".
  
  So obviously the ability to make a great design isn't a problem. The problem is that by time a production car comes around (which 9/10 times only vaguely resembles the concept), they deem anything remotely pretty as "too expensive to mass produce" and kill it off in favor of some crappy 7" display with the GUI design equivalent to that what you could find in 15 year old games...

• Mon Sep 1 2008 2:41 PM

  Spiro says

  So we'll be forced to have a massively powerful GPU in our cars in the future? Perhaps a SLI/CrossFire setup as well :-)