Hi, I have ordered a new A3 Sportsback S-Line and I have a question regarding the tech pack. First can someone post some photo's showing the SD cards/DVD slots that are supposed to be located in the glove box. Also does the tech pack include Audi Connect/Google Maps via a Bluetooth connected phone or does it have a separate slot for a SIM card? Also can you play DVD's on the screen. The information on Audi's web site and brochures are poor.
Technology Pack
- Thread starter Lion Man
- Start date
I asked the same question of the dealer when I ordered. Google Maps is only available as part of Audi Connect, which requires the Mobile Phone Prep High - which is only available from Build Week 22, and will likely cost a few extra hundred on top of the tech pack price (although the price hasn't been released officially in the UK and isn't in the brochures yet). I don't have a photo of the CD / SD card slot, but from memory the Tech Pack without Audi Connect consists of a DVD drive and 2x SD card slots in the glovebox.
Please check out this photo in the link below, does this mean that a SIM card can be inserted in the A3 for google maps and Audi Connect?
http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/images/D...book-and-apps-hands-on-16.jpg?20120119-234932
If anybody has the tech pack can they please advise.
http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/images/D...book-and-apps-hands-on-16.jpg?20120119-234932
If anybody has the tech pack can they please advise.
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Yes, the Audi Connect system allows you to insert a SIM card there to be used for Internet connectivity.
Be aware though that there's an outstanding question as to whether you'd also be able to pair your phone via Bluetooth for calls whilst using the SIM for data connectivity at the same time. My general impression right now is that it won't and, when a SIM is inserted, the car will assume this is to be used for calls too, which is useless IMO.
Be aware though that there's an outstanding question as to whether you'd also be able to pair your phone via Bluetooth for calls whilst using the SIM for data connectivity at the same time. My general impression right now is that it won't and, when a SIM is inserted, the car will assume this is to be used for calls too, which is useless IMO.
I'm not so sure the Tech Pack comes with the SIM card slot unless Mobile Phone Prep High is also chosen - happy to be wrong though.
No it doesn't - no A3 8V in the UK comes with the SIM slot at present because the Audi Connect option isn't available. When it arrives we'll have to see whether it's a separate option in its own right or merged into the phone prep options somehow.
I suspect that Audi Connect will be an extra few hundred £ on top of the Tech Pack price, and will be achieved by adding Phone Prep High which will replace the DVD / SD Card slot with a unit with an additional SIM card slot (as per the above photo).
Will be interesting to see if it appears in the new price lists brochures for March.
Will be interesting to see if it appears in the new price lists brochures for March.
I'm mainly interested in the aforementioned issue of whether you'll be able to use a SIM card and bluetooth phone simultaneously as, if not, it'd be useless to me. Won't be replacing mine until late next year anyway but thinking ahead etc.
Frankly I think the Audi Connect stuff is a bit gimmicky. Having Google Maps on the nav might look good when you're showing it off to people but is it actually useful generally? When I'm using the nav to find my way, I want a clear map display like I'd get from a printed road atlas, not a satellite image where it's far harder to pick out your route. I don't even use the 3D view on mine for this reason - it's far harder to see what's what and where you're going than in the regular 2D top-down view. Sure, the 3D display looks funky when you get into a major city but it is harder to read the screen and Google Maps would only make this worse.
Frankly I think the Audi Connect stuff is a bit gimmicky. Having Google Maps on the nav might look good when you're showing it off to people but is it actually useful generally? When I'm using the nav to find my way, I want a clear map display like I'd get from a printed road atlas, not a satellite image where it's far harder to pick out your route. I don't even use the 3D view on mine for this reason - it's far harder to see what's what and where you're going than in the regular 2D top-down view. Sure, the 3D display looks funky when you get into a major city but it is harder to read the screen and Google Maps would only make this worse.
My thoughts exactly. Couldn't understand the point in Facebook / Twitter integration - a car is for driving and there are enough other distractions on the roads without adding to it with bringing the internet into the car. I had the option of waiting longer for the car to spec Audi Connect (Build week 22 and after I believe), but just couldn't see past the gimmick factor.
Well I think it's a great idea. All those (usually female) sales reps can tweet and check their Facebook feed in between brushing their hair, chatting on their mobile, drinking Starbucks and applying makeup while they drive.
It should only be available in conjunction with all the other driver assistance packages to stop them side-swiping or running into the back of anyone else. The less 'driving' they have to do, the better.
Not that I'm stereotyping of course.....
It should only be available in conjunction with all the other driver assistance packages to stop them side-swiping or running into the back of anyone else. The less 'driving' they have to do, the better.
Not that I'm stereotyping of course.....
paul8852
Registered User
Just to clarify if I wanted to configure Audi Connect to my Audi A3 I would have to wait until mid June to order it (week 22) and that the presumed additional cost will be around £435 (500 euros currently on eu spec'd cars) that puts the Tech pack at very close to £2000 seems quite a premium for Google maps Facebook & Twitter, thing is the Tech pack without Connect doesn't seem worth it, better off just going for an SD nav system at £495, saving the £1000...trying to justify this option but struggling any views would be helpful
Yes, those prices seem roughly correct. It becomes very pricey by the time you've added all the extras to get Connect. I couldn't justify the tech pack on its own for £1,500, but when I ordered there was a £500 discount from Audi (for pre-orders), and my dealer also knocked some money off as even at £1k it seemed a little steep for the added functionality.
There are some photos in this forum of the £495 SD card SatNav and it seems to be very good.
There are some photos in this forum of the £495 SD card SatNav and it seems to be very good.
I do.....sometimes it ain't worth buying a bluray for a film that isn't worth the extra to buy it on bluray.
And on a 7" screen could you honestly tell the difference between a DVD and bluray? I doubt it.
Yeah, it was all over the marketing and publicity for it. Can't find any UK details, but the general A3 with Audi Connect features are listed here:
Twitter > Audi connect services > Audi Worldwide
Twitter > Audi connect services > Audi Worldwide
Who would buy a DVD?! Surely just download the film from itunes...
Can the car play films downloaded from itunes?
Also, who would watch a film in a car? Isn't it more comfortable on the sofa at home or in a house somewhere? You can't watch a film whilst driving anyway..
Delivery drivers, taxi men etc etc. people who's occupation has them spending a lot of stationary time in their car.
blu ray would be a waste of time in a car that doesn't have the resolution for it nor the screen size. A more prudent question currently would be 'who would buy a bluray?' as DVD still outsells bluray 5-1.
It'll be just as cheap for them to include a DVD/CD player as it is to include a CD-only player. While most people will have no need whatsoever for it, some people will.
I agree. I also think DVD players were specced on VAG sat-nav cars due to the amount of data needed for the maps. Prior to the latest generation, the maps were read from DVD not SD card. The CD just wouldn't have the capacity.
I don't think it had anything to do with watching DVDs on the move..... this was just a nice 'knock-on' addition.
With the RNS-E, not even a dual-layer DVD was enough to hold all the map data and Eastern Europe was consigned to a second disc! Now it's all stored on SD card or hard disk so there's no need for a DVD drive and a CD suffices for playing music.
Regards the "cost to Audi" of including things like a DVD player instead of a CD player, you can't think like this really. With a huge amount of the technology in current cars it's often a case of the additional hardware required for an option being a negligible amount extra or even, in some cases, no additional hardware being required at all and it just being a software configuration. Take things like the sat nav - all new A3s ship with the necessary hardware such as the GPS receiver, whether nav is specced or not. This isn't just a case of making it easier to upgrade to the SD nav at a later date but also because it's probably cheaper for Audi to kit every car out with this equipment as standard than it is to only fit it to certain vehicles.
It's all about marketing and product placement. What we pay for a car isn't really based on what it actually costs the manufacturer to make it but rather what the market will bear and where the car fits into the brand hierarchy. You can see this with the various models too - a loaded A8 may cost three times what a decently kitted A3 does but does it cost Audi three times as much to make the A3? Of course not
Regards the "cost to Audi" of including things like a DVD player instead of a CD player, you can't think like this really. With a huge amount of the technology in current cars it's often a case of the additional hardware required for an option being a negligible amount extra or even, in some cases, no additional hardware being required at all and it just being a software configuration. Take things like the sat nav - all new A3s ship with the necessary hardware such as the GPS receiver, whether nav is specced or not. This isn't just a case of making it easier to upgrade to the SD nav at a later date but also because it's probably cheaper for Audi to kit every car out with this equipment as standard than it is to only fit it to certain vehicles.
It's all about marketing and product placement. What we pay for a car isn't really based on what it actually costs the manufacturer to make it but rather what the market will bear and where the car fits into the brand hierarchy. You can see this with the various models too - a loaded A8 may cost three times what a decently kitted A3 does but does it cost Audi three times as much to make the A3? Of course not
Audi, just like any other car manufacturer, are very price conscious with their supply chain. They'll shave pennies off components if possible knowing that it'll save a fortune when multiplied by the volume they manufacture. The only difference between them and other volume manufacturers is that they're less likely to sacrifice quality and damage their reputation. A recent thread about Hankook tyres being fitted to new Audis brought that home all to well!
It's even more about profitability than product placement. They know what the market will bear, but also know they need manufacturing costs to be as small as possible. Look at what VW have done with the Golf 5/6/7 - each successive aim was to make the car cheaper to manufacture. I'd bet that a Golf is no more expensive to manufacture than an Astra, despite the retail price difference in real terms.
In terms of the fitment of additional hardware like GPS receiver, some bean counter will have done the maths on this or Audi wouldn't be doing it. It's probably cheaper just to fit it than run an additional configuration on the line as you say. They'll also have factored in the benefit of second and third users buying the upgrade rather than a standalone sat-nav system.
It's even more about profitability than product placement. They know what the market will bear, but also know they need manufacturing costs to be as small as possible. Look at what VW have done with the Golf 5/6/7 - each successive aim was to make the car cheaper to manufacture. I'd bet that a Golf is no more expensive to manufacture than an Astra, despite the retail price difference in real terms.
In terms of the fitment of additional hardware like GPS receiver, some bean counter will have done the maths on this or Audi wouldn't be doing it. It's probably cheaper just to fit it than run an additional configuration on the line as you say. They'll also have factored in the benefit of second and third users buying the upgrade rather than a standalone sat-nav system.
I awaiting delivery of my 2.0 TDI S-line, and I have gone for the Tech Pack option as I find a SatNav essential and the SD version looks just horrible on the screen. I currently have a BMW 3 series coupe with the Professional SatNav and I have to say it blows even the Tech Pack SatNav away. I like my display to be a representation of a road atlas on the screen and the BMW does that with aplomb something that Audi have failed to do. In fact I almost went for another BMW its that good, but the A3 has had such rave reviews that it persuaded me to go with it.
The BMW also has Google search and I use that feature alot. I will miss it on the A3
The BMW also has Google search and I use that feature alot. I will miss it on the A3
You should have waited another couple of months before ordering if thats the case. Audi will bring out Connect with the sat nav allowing use of google maps with a suitable sim.
Its a company car and I have already exceeded the milage in my current car so was pretty much forced to order what I could for delivery in April. If only things could have been different
Eh? In what way? I have my nav on 2D north-up view and it's exactly like looking at a printed road atlas, with clearly marked and colour coded roads.
