Audi drives into mobile phone production
All-in-one car key and phone
Audi will unveil a concept car-control-unit-cum-mobile-phone at the Tokyo Motor Show on Wednesday, the company has told Register Hardware.
Audi's gizmo: make calls, unlock your motor
The unnamed device is essentially a car control system and 3G mobile phone combined. An Audi spokesman said that it’s designed to operate the A1, a car in development under its Metroproject Quattro programme.
Unfortunately, the spokesman wouldn’t tell us much more about the handset, but he did confirm that pictures currently doing the rounds online were official.
Ready to replace your TomTom?
Speculative reports have claimed the handset fits into the A1's docking station, from where it also works as a hands-free mobile phone and multimedia player. The car’s said to have an in-built GPS tracking unit, meaning the unit can be used for navigation - and to find your car again if it's nicked.
It can receive photos from the A1's on-board camera too, enabling users to take photos of, say, the driver in front’s bumper. Unlocking car doors and controlling the air con are also functions controlled by the handset.
Let's just hope it can start the engine...
COMMENTS
Ugly phone
Ugly phone, I think they'd be better off just making an application that you can install on a smart phone or team up with a manufacture like Nokia or Sony Ericsson.
Audi styling
What a useless ugly lump. A bit like their cars
What about...
...if their target market for this are business people with leased cars, who change their vehicles 12- or 24-monthly? Might work for them.
It would probably come with the cars anyway, so you'd have the choice of using an existing phone or inserting your sim into the new Audi phone.
I heard from someone who works as a SAAB mechanic that in some SAABs there was an option whereby Vodafone users can insert their sim card into a slot inside the car. So not an original idea either - I think it's just fashionable for companies to have their own-branded phone - check out the new Porsche phone (http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/commerce/servlet/gben-server-PageServer?article=MAIN.UK.INTERNET.COMING_SOON.PORSCHE.P9521).
What a stupid idea
Is this dumm or what???
I drive a 17 year old Saab 900 Convertible, if I get this Audi and hold it for 17 years, does that mean I would still have to carry around a 17 year old phone (mine only last a year at most....)
Seems to be a solution to a problem that does not exist.
Anyway it was done before, Bond used a communicator to drive his 7 Series (although I heard rumours that a very small person - as they are politically correctly know as - was actually doing the driving)....
Anyway in my opinion this should get one of those awards for dumm ideas..
