Michael Kruppa, Head of Front Lighting Development, has been responsible for various areas of development at Audi for more than ten years. Together with his development team, he plays a key role in ensuring that an Audi provides the best possible road safety even in poor visibility and darkness. In this interview, he explains what makes good headlights – and what sets the new Audi Q3 apart from the competition when it comes to lighting.

Mr. Kruppa, why are good headlights so important?
Michael Kruppa: The rapid onset of darkness and poorer weather conditions, especially now in the fall and winter, pose a greater risk in traffic. On the one hand, as a driver, I want to illuminate the area I’m driving into as well as possible so that I feel safe. On the other hand, it is very important that other road users see me in time. Often, just a few seconds make a crucial difference in avoiding a dangerous situation. Seeing and being seen is the be-all and end-all in road traffic. Good lighting is not just about comfort – it provides a significant boost in safety. It also creates recognition value. At Audi, customers have numerous options to personalize their lighting. Several different digital light signatures, along with matching coming home/leaving home lighting scenarios, can be selected in the MMI.

What characterizes intelligent lighting at Audi?
Michael Kruppa: Intelligent lighting actively adapts to the driving situation and provides added safety for all road users. The lighting we develop at Audi is designed to prevent glare. Our matrix LED headlights detect vehicles ahead and oncoming traffic and automatically block out light that would blind them. The driver therefore no longer has to operate the high beams manually. This ensures that you always have enough light in front of you, can stay focused for longer, and drive more safely as a result. The most innovative lighting development we currently use in front lighting at Audi are the digital matrix LED headlights. They have numerous adaptive lighting functions and can project light images directly onto the road – it’s intelligent and inspiring at the same time.

What are the technical foundations for good lighting?
Michael Kruppa: The basic requirement is that the light works reliably. When I switch it on, it must be there immediately. Beyond that, we can now influence many parameters, such as brightness and color. There have recently been major advances in LED technology. Our development activities over the past four or five years have led us to start digitalizing lighting technologies, such as LED technology. At the same time, we are continually optimizing other aspects.

Our digital matrix LED headlights with micro-LED technology are particularly impressive due to their smaller installation space, lower weight, and higher efficiency. They also have greater luminosity with better contrast, which means they perform better in difficult visibility conditions.

The micro-LED technology you just mentioned is being used for the first time in the new Audi Q3. How does it work?
Michael Kruppa: The topic of light digitalization, which we just discussed, plays a central role here. We have developed a light source in such a way that we can almost use it like a video projector. The micro-LED module, which is approximately 13 millimeters wide, has a chip with 25,600 tiny micro-LEDs – each measuring approximately 40 micrometers – that can be controlled individually. This allows the system to adjust the light image on the road depending on the situation. For instance, the light guidance functions, known as lane guidance and orientation lights, are now much more closely linked to the driver assistance functions. We are introducing the digital matrix LED headlights with this new micro-LED technology for the first time in the compact class in the Q3. As a result, we can offer our customers even greater safety.

What specific advantages does this technology mean for drivers?
Michael Kruppa: Picture it like this: the car projects two lines onto the road while driving. These lines help me stay in the center of my lane and give me an indication of my vehicle’s position in the lane I am driving in. That’s the orientation light. When I drive onto the highway, the projected light image changes. The car knows I’m on the highway and can illuminate my lane dynamically. This is the lane light with the orientation light. If I want to change lanes, the lane light with direction indicator assists me. It shows the active turn signal at the edge of the lane light, depending on whether I am signaling left or right. The benefit for other road users is that they can see early on that I want to change lanes. All this is made possible by the digital matrix LED headlights with our new micro-LED technology in the Audi Q3. It provides our customers with orientation and safety, and ultimately a positive feeling behind the wheel. And depending on your preferences, you can also deactivate these functions in the MMI.

Which road users benefit most from the digital lighting technology in the new Q3?
Michael Kruppa: In addition to the safety of the vehicle occupants, it’s also about other road users. Take pedestrians, cyclists, or the occupants of other vehicles, for example. But the focus is also on those who are unaware that they are putting themselves in a dangerous situation, such as wild animals crossing roads at dusk. You want to spot them in time so you can react, brake, or even take evasive action.

And warning symbols can be projected too?
Michael Kruppa: Yes, that’s another example of the benefits of digitalization. When the outside temperature drops below four degrees, the system projects a snowflake onto the road – exactly the same symbol that you would normally see on the instrument cluster. As a driver, I know instantly: it could get really slippery now.

Why is advanced lighting more important today than ever before?
Michael Kruppa: Because it combines safety and comfort while also improving driver concentration. Good lighting means that I can see more, I am more visible, and I can react faster to any situation. Modern digital lighting systems such as those in the new Audi Q3 take road safety to a new level.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

The Audi Concept C represents the future of Audi. With its unmistakable design language, it offers a preview of future models and a new interior experience. It is the first manifestation of the new design philosophy and embodies the four principles of clarity, emotional appeal, technical excellence, and intelligent design. And thanks to its road approval, these qualities can be experienced from behind the wheel.

The Audi Concept C made its debut in Milan in early September, followed soon after by an appearance at a unique stand at the IAA in Munich. The all-electric roadster impressed with its unmistakable combination of clarity, technology, intelligence, and emotion – Audi’s four new design principles.

The street-legal concept vehicle offers a preview of a future production model – a breathtaking all-electric sports car with exceptional driving dynamics that puts design, speed, and emotion at its core. Like the Concept C, the production version will seamlessly blend the thrill of open-top driving with the elegance of a hardtop.

With its proportions, surfaces and details, the Concept C establishes a bold and unmistakable identity that will play a defining role in shaping Audi’s future. The interior of the vehicle showcases quality craftsmanship with its perfectly curated materials and colors. These materials not only shape the space – they create experiences: tactile, visual, and emotional. The interplay of design, aesthetics, and control elements appeals to all the senses.

The interior of the Audi Concept C achieves a unique symbiosis of technology and emotion. Subtly integrated technology ensures an intuitive user experience, with every physical control crafted to deliver high mechanical quality and a refined sound – the signature “Audi click.” With haptic control elements on the steering wheel and in the center console, the design also emphasizes clarity and precision when it comes to operation. Digital elements are always close by, yet never dominant. A foldable 10.4-inch display remains hidden until activated, preserving a calm and uncluttered interior. Information appears only when needed – seamlessly and in context.

Bold leaps in innovation and cutting-edge technology, combined with an uncompromising focus on design, are an integral part of Audi’s DNA. Many of the brand’s legendary models – including sports cars like the TT, R8, RS 6 (C6, 2004), and the Auto Union Type C racing car – embody this combination. The Audi Concept C powerfully continues this legacy and marks the brand’s bold step into a new era of clarity.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

Audi is strengthening its digital ecosystem with the relaunch of the myAudi app. Featuring a fresh, clean design across all touchpoints, the app makes accessing Audi’s digital services even smarter and easier. The adaptive AI assistant can access the logbook and help answer technical questions about the car. The integrated digital key is an especially convenient function: your car key is always with you – on your smartphone or smartwatch – so your physical key can stay at home. Popular features like the optimized route planner continue to offer improved service and a better overall user experience.

The redesigned myAudi app introduces a fresh, clean look and, for the first time, connects all touchpoints – app, vehicle, and web – into a seamless and unified experience. Users benefit from an intuitive and connected interface that reflects Audi’s premium brand identity. 

Debut of AI assistant

The relaunched myAudi app features artificial intelligence for the first time. Powered by ChatGPT and co-developed by CARIAD and Audi, the integrated AI assistant helps answer questions from the onboard manual. A new shopping tab provides product recommendations tailored to the specific vehicle model – for both digital services and physical products.

Familiar features now smarter and more user-friendly

In addition to new capabilities, the app continues to offer access to many familiar tools, like the digital key. It allows users to lock, unlock, and even start their vehicle directly from their smartphone or smartwatch. The physical car key can simply stay at home.

Another advantage is that the app becomes a smart companion for drivers of electric vehicles. It enables users to manage charging schedules, Plug & Charge functionality, and range displays. It also supports battery preconditioning for selected models. With the improved route planner, users have even easier access to their charging station data and can plan charging stops from the comfort of home. With just a few clicks, a planned route can be sent directly to the vehicle.

myAudi app: long-term strategic digitalization

The newly enhanced myAudi app serves as the gateway to Audi’s digital ecosystem. It is continuously being developed and expanded with new features. The goal is to make digital mobility as simple and convenient as possible for Audi customers.

The updated app is now available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The myAudi app is already available in over 50 markets – from Europe to the Pacific region. Additional markets including Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman will follow soon.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

The overall victory and six further titles for the Audi RS 3 LMS in TCR Italy, plus additional titles with this touring car and the GT3 and GT4 models of the Audi R8 LMS, represent broad success for the customer teams. This brings the total number of titles won by Audi Sport customer racing since 2009 to 573. So far, the Audi teams have contributed to 28 successful championship decisions this year alone.

Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)

Success story in Italy: Once again, the Audi RS 3 LMS was in a class of its own in Italian touring car racing. The compact Audi won no fewer than seven titles in various classes of the TCR Italy at the finale, including the overall title for the third time in a row after Nicolas Taylor successfully defended his title from the previous year. Starting from fourth place at Misano, finishing second in the first race behind a Hyundai was sufficient for the Canadian to secure the coveted title one day before the end of the season. Three days after his 20th birthday, the young driver from PMA Motorsport relegated Nicola Baldan from Aikoa Racing to third place. Baldan was Taylor’s toughest opponent in the title fight, starting the race from ninth place and also driving an Audi RS 3 LMS. In Sunday’s race, the newly crowned champion Taylor secured his fifth victory of the season, which also meant that his team, PMA Motorsport, won the team title. Baldan once again finished in third place, making him the runner-up in the championship. Audi also performed well in various classes: Denis Babuin won the Master classification in the first race with Planet Motorsport and finished second on Sunday, making him the best driver of the year in this classification. Sandro Pelatti from PMA Motorsport finished third in both races in this class. In the Rookie category, Carlo Alberto Bocca from BF Motorsport was the best participant in both sprints and thus also won the annual classification. Nicolas Taylor was twice the best “Under 25” driver and thus in addition to the overall classification also won this age group in the championship. The TCR Italy DSG for race cars with dual-clutch transmissions also held its final race at Misano. Andrea Palazzo from Aikoa Racing was the best Audi driver in third place in the first race, while Gustavo Sandrucci from Casals Motorsport won the second sprint and, as on the previous day, the Master classification. Sandrucci thus won the Coppa Nazionale TCR Italy DSG Master in the Audi RS 3 LMS. His teammate Sebastian Gavazza was also the third-best “Under 25” driver on Sunday. Another title went to Carlotta Fedeli, who won the Trofeo Nazionale TCR Italy DSG Femminile in the RC Motorsport Audi ahead of Seda Kaçan from Texaco Team AMS. The Audi RS 3 LMS was successful in two classes at the final round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. In the TCR classification, Goroyan RT by sharky-racing with Danny Brink/Artur Goroyan/Oleg Kvitka/Roman Mavlanov finished as winners with a 1.52-minute lead over the Audi from Møller Bil Motorsport with Anders Lindstad/Kenneth Østvold/Håkon Schjærin. The winning Audi with the number 777 thus clinched the TCR class of the 2025 KW Team Trophy ahead of the Audi from Møller Bil Motorsport. Danny Brink and Artur Goroyan are also the winners of the TCR class in the 2025 NLS class winners trophy ahead of Håkon Schjærin. Max Kruse Racing won the AT3 class in the race with Timo Hochwind/Max Kruse/Nico Otto, finishing two laps ahead. For former professional soccer player Kruse, it was his first outing in an Audi, having previously competed in NLS races in another TCR race car. This Audi with start number 10 also secured the team the season victory in the AT3 class of the 2025 KW Team Trophy ahead of its sister car with number 333. Timo Hochwind also won the AT3 category of the 2025 NLS class winners trophy ahead of Jasmin Preisig. Audi finished the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge as the second-best brand. In the final race at Road Atlanta, Canadians Sam Baker and James Vance finished third for Team Baker Racing as the best drivers in an Audi RS 3 LMS. This puts Audi behind Hyundai and ahead of Honda and Cupra in the final standings after ten races. The Belcar Endurance Championship also held its final race. In the fifth round at Zolder, Olivier Bertels/Nick van Pelt in the VP-Racing Audi RS 3 LMS secured their fourth class victory of the year in the SuperSport category after 74 laps. The driver duo thus won the title in their class and finished second overall in the championship. This success brought the total number of championship titles won by the two generations of the Audi RS 3 LMS to 161 worldwide since the program began at the end of 2016. The Audi RS 3 LMS achieved several podium finishes in German club racing as well. In the sixth round of the Cup- und Tourenwagen-Trophy at the Nürburgring, Manfred Lewe finished second in both sprints in his class. In the first race, third place went to Michael Haager in another Audi. In TCR México, the Audi RS 3 LMS finished second and third in the sixth event, the longest race of the year. In the 24-hour race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, RE Motorsports 2 with Axel Matus/Nico Rivas/Esteban Roche/Fabian Welter finished second, 1.02 minutes behind. Third place went to the Apycsa Racing Team with Jorge Abed/Yusif Abed/Omar Chávez/Rubén Rovelo.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com