Autonomous driving is all the rage these days - from Ford and Kia cars to Volvo trucks, automotive manufacturers are stepping up research and development into autonomous technology.
Whilst opinion is decidedly split on the possibility of driverless cars in the future, one of the key selling points of autonomous technology is that it can make driving safer. Audi has been at the forefront of such research and development, including the development of a piloted A7 Sportback named 'Jack'.
In the new Audi A4 2.0, Audi has fitted its test car with a bevy of its autonomous safety technologies, including adaptive cruise control and active lane assistant. Time to find out they work on Singapore roads. Up close and Personal
The car retains its good-looking charm and handsome silhouette, accented by strong lines that run right across the length of the body. It cuts a figure of elegance, style and status.
The A4 2.0 also receives some subtle details that speak to its more aggressive character - a more aggressive-looking front fascia, two exhaust pipes at the rear instead of one, and 'quattro' badging to remind us that we have a little beast on our hands.
Whilst opinion is decidedly split on the possibility of driverless cars in the future, one of the key selling points of autonomous technology is that it can make driving safer. Audi has been at the forefront of such research and development, including the development of a piloted A7 Sportback named 'Jack'.
In the new Audi A4 2.0, Audi has fitted its test car with a bevy of its autonomous safety technologies, including adaptive cruise control and active lane assistant. Time to find out they work on Singapore roads. Up close and Personal
The car retains its good-looking charm and handsome silhouette, accented by strong lines that run right across the length of the body. It cuts a figure of elegance, style and status.
The A4 2.0 also receives some subtle details that speak to its more aggressive character - a more aggressive-looking front fascia, two exhaust pipes at the rear instead of one, and 'quattro' badging to remind us that we have a little beast on our hands.
Visually, it sits slightly higher off the ground. Maybe it's the combination of the fitted 19-inch Audi Sport alloy rims and low profile tyres, which really accentuate the gap between the flared wheel arches and the tyres.
The interior is premium and quality to the touch, as you would expect from Audi. The combination of hard plastics, soft leathers and chrome trimmings add to the sense of luxury and comfort. It's a very plush yet logically organised cockpit to sit in - buttons are easy to reach, and the steering-mounted buttons are easy to use.
The A4 2.0 also comes equipped with Audi's 'Virtual Cockpit', a gorgous digital dashboard that presents you with all the information you need. You can even toggle the dials to become smaller to unveil more of the background image, especially useful when you have the navigation function activated. The built-in navigation system even comes integrated with Google map and Google Streetview capabilities.
The interior is premium and quality to the touch, as you would expect from Audi. The combination of hard plastics, soft leathers and chrome trimmings add to the sense of luxury and comfort. It's a very plush yet logically organised cockpit to sit in - buttons are easy to reach, and the steering-mounted buttons are easy to use.
The A4 2.0 also comes equipped with Audi's 'Virtual Cockpit', a gorgous digital dashboard that presents you with all the information you need. You can even toggle the dials to become smaller to unveil more of the background image, especially useful when you have the navigation function activated. The built-in navigation system even comes integrated with Google map and Google Streetview capabilities.
The Drive
The potent 2.0-litre TFSI engine under the bonnet outputs 252bhp and 370Nm of torque. With 98bhp more and 120Nm more torque than its 1.4-litre sibling, this car really pulls like hell. Combined with quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) technology, the car you see here absolutely leaps off the line, leaving other cars in its dust.
The quattro AWD also means that you can unleash the engine's potency even through corners - something we experienced while we were giving it the beans through sweeping bends, as the car gives you oodles of usable traction.
However, the suspension is on the soft side, and the car isn't as tight around bends as we would like it to be. But that's really nitpicking, as we suppose that's what Audi has the S4 for.
Our test unit was fitted with a comprehensive suite of Audi's latest driver assistance systems. Active Lane Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control means that you can actually leave a lot of the driving up to the car.
While it may be a stretch to call it fully autonomous, the truth is that you can get away with being a pretty appalling driver. Let the car drift out of its lane, and the Active Lane Assist system will automatically turn the steering wheel and pull you back into your lane. This even works through a long sweeping bend (as tested on the Benjamin Sheares Bridge).
The potent 2.0-litre TFSI engine under the bonnet outputs 252bhp and 370Nm of torque. With 98bhp more and 120Nm more torque than its 1.4-litre sibling, this car really pulls like hell. Combined with quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) technology, the car you see here absolutely leaps off the line, leaving other cars in its dust.
The quattro AWD also means that you can unleash the engine's potency even through corners - something we experienced while we were giving it the beans through sweeping bends, as the car gives you oodles of usable traction.
However, the suspension is on the soft side, and the car isn't as tight around bends as we would like it to be. But that's really nitpicking, as we suppose that's what Audi has the S4 for.
Our test unit was fitted with a comprehensive suite of Audi's latest driver assistance systems. Active Lane Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control means that you can actually leave a lot of the driving up to the car.
While it may be a stretch to call it fully autonomous, the truth is that you can get away with being a pretty appalling driver. Let the car drift out of its lane, and the Active Lane Assist system will automatically turn the steering wheel and pull you back into your lane. This even works through a long sweeping bend (as tested on the Benjamin Sheares Bridge).
Adaptive Cruise Control also means you can set a fixed distance from the car in front of you, and the A4 will accelerate and brake to maintain that distance, whilst also complying to the maximum speed limit that you set. On highways, you literally don't have to touch the pedals.
Conclusion
The A4 is an all-around refined, comfortable and luxurious compact executive sedan. Compared to the A4 1.4, the A4 2.0 is certainly a step up in terms of power and performance.
It is a great car that will certainly appeal to the working adult. And yes, the $6,620 optional autonomous safety technologies, which includes Active Lane Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control and High-beam Assist, are certainly impressive.
But perhaps more significantly, this is also a peek into the future. The car serves as a testing bed of sorts for Audi's latest technologies and how they would function on our roads, and we have to say that they certainly work well. We won't be surprised if more upcoming cars in Singapore come fitted with such technology, if only to make our roads just a little bit safer.
Conclusion
The A4 is an all-around refined, comfortable and luxurious compact executive sedan. Compared to the A4 1.4, the A4 2.0 is certainly a step up in terms of power and performance.
It is a great car that will certainly appeal to the working adult. And yes, the $6,620 optional autonomous safety technologies, which includes Active Lane Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control and High-beam Assist, are certainly impressive.
But perhaps more significantly, this is also a peek into the future. The car serves as a testing bed of sorts for Audi's latest technologies and how they would function on our roads, and we have to say that they certainly work well. We won't be surprised if more upcoming cars in Singapore come fitted with such technology, if only to make our roads just a little bit safer.
