Ramon Bäurle on designing Audi’s most advanced interior yet

And then the second part, ‘through technology’, is basically what we do at Audi which is to always question whether there is a better solution, a better way of doing things. In the design department we have implemented new technologies in the quest for better results. We transitioned from physical modeling to a more digital process. We also now use virtual reality glasses to evaluate early-stage designs. All of this is to ensure the customer has the best experience possible inside their Audi.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

As a designer, I see inspiration basically everywhere – it doesn’t matter what it is. It can be fashion, it can be architecture, it can be other products. Everything has its own design aesthetics and uses different materials, which makes them interesting to analyse.

And sometimes you’ll see something random and you just can’t forget it. You think: ‘Why have they designed it like this? How has it been manufactured? Could I achieve something similar? Why is this particular product higher quality than another?’. These are all very interesting and important questions that go through a designer’s head.

What makes for good interior design?

A good interior is a combination of several key elements that make up a perfectly balanced product. First, a good interior needs strong technical clarity. All the features need to be integrated in a way that’s not distracting, helps the driver and passenger, and has a strong, clear theme. A good interior also gives strong weighting to both the driver and the passenger, because the passenger is an essential person.

A good interior also has to match the essence of the car, whether it’s a car that’s more angled towards the driving experience, or a car where you’re more connected to your surroundings through connectivity features – a car designed for long distances, for example.

And a good interior has to use the right materials. High-quality materials can make a huge difference in both physical and perceived value, so it’s important that all the touchpoints close to the driver and the passenger are of the highest possible quality.

Exquisite interior design has always been a core pillar of Audi’s Vorsprung durch Technik ethos. Which Audi’s from the past were milestones in this regard?

I think it's very difficult to say because there have been so many. Right now, I think the latest generation of Audi TT has an amazing interior. It has amazing details. The digital air vents with the indication in the display are great both from a technology and a design point of view.

Looking back through history, the Audi 100 had a very nice dashboard. Its wrap-around design is something we still see in our cars today. Its dashboard was also trimmed in wood material, which was kind of unique for a car like this back in those days. 

And I have to say the R8, no matter which generation, has this really strong, almost monoposto (single-seat), architecture where the steering wheel is very much the centre of attention to create this really sporty race-car feeling – it’s fantastic.

The Audi Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron share the same overarching interior design ethos. What was the vision before pen had even touched paper?

The initial vision when we started with the interior design for the Q6 e-tron was to have a strong design theme which is very, very clean. One which combines all the digital elements seamlessly and in a way that doesn’t distract the driver at all. We also had a strong vision to create a sort of 360-degree wrap-around architecture which combines the dashboard with the door.

Both the Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron have a completely new interior philosophy which channels Audi’s Vorsprung durch Technik spirit. What are the highlights?

The overall design philosophy in both interiors is driven by what we call aesthetic intelligence. This is made up of four key pillars which define the overarching ethos.

The first pillar is human centric. This is all about how the driver and passengers feel inside the car. The comfort. The connection to what’s happening immediately around them. To achieve this, we’ve designed the architecture of the car in such a way that it feels like it’s completely surrounding you. This is what we call a soft-wrap design, where the dashboard and door come together as one seamless entity.

The second pillar is the digital stage, and this is where Audi’s Vorsprung durch Technik philosophy really shines through. This incorporates all of the digital elements of the interior, including the interaction light on the dashboard which gives you notifications via ambient lighting. The curved panoramic touchscreen which has been designed for maximum size and clarity while also being easy to operate for the driver. The passenger touchscreen which, for the first time ever, allows the passenger to interact with the setting of the car. And the augmented reality head-up display which makes driving easier and safer.

The third pillar is visual clarity. Ensuring that every element of the interior is integrated beautifully and comes together in one seamless sculpture. This soft-wrap architecture also plays a big part in this.