New Audi A6 with next-generation infotainment by HARMAN nominated for Green Car of the Year Award

Karlsbad– The 2014 Audi A6 TDI sedan has been nominated for the Green Car Journal 2014 Green Car of the Year Award. The premium car is equipped with the new Audi MMI® Navigation Plus platform, one of the latest-generation automotive infotainment systems by HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group.

The new Audi A6 TDI is nominated for its best-in-class EPA estimated fuel economy of 24 city / 38 highway / 29 combined MPG, which is aided by the convenient and fuel-saving start-stop efficiency system and an adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. These features are connected to the MMI navigation system and are supported by road map data to always reach best possible fuel efficiency.

Sachin Lawande, President Infotainment Division, HARMAN International, commented on the partnership with Audi: “We are very proud to be with our system an integral part of this novel sustainability concept in the premium car sector. We will continue to provide best-in-class infotainment solutions for a safer and more responsible driving experience.”

Other features of the fully integrated infotainment unit designed by HARMAN include high-quality playback of diverse music and video files through seamless connectivity via such devices as iPod, Hard Disk Drive, smartphones, and USB devices. The Audi-specific human machine interface (HMI) ensures that each system function is accessible with minimal user distraction and maximum ease of use for advanced safety. The new MMI touch function gives drivers a convenient means of configuring the navigation system while keeping their eyes on the road ahead. Using a separate touchpad in the center console, users can easily enter addresses, select music tracks, or initiate a telephone conversation. The MMI Touch function accommodates a wide range of text inputs, including Japanese, Chinese and Cyrillic characters.

Equally state-of-the art are the Audi online services which allow the car to retrieve up-to-date information from the Internet via the optionally integrated GPRS/EDGE (UMTS) modem and on-board WLAN Hotspot. Drivers and passengers can search online using a variety of sources including Google Earth and Google Maps. Harman has also enabled the new infotainment unit to download and display emails from vehicle occupants’ portable devices and smartphones.

HARMAN’s integration expertise in best-in-class navigation also delivers rich new detail for map and travel data. 3D navigation views offer increased realism, helping drivers to safely select the appropriate route via a city model function and Google Street View. 3-D terrain models based on Google Maps data provide additional detail such as road elevation, presenting route data to the driver in the most intuitive manner. Dynamic route guidance is also available, thanks to embedded real time traffic information. This further helps to ensure efficient travel and helps to protect the environment, since the optimum route is chosen automatically to reduce unnecessary idle situations.

The new Audi MMI Navigation Plus platform by HARMAN is currently available for the Audi A6, as well as all other Audi models.

About HARMAN

HARMAN designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 14,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.3 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. The company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR. Please visit www.harman.com for more information.


Nicole Mehr
HARMAN
+49-7248-71-1272
press@harman.com

Darrin Shewchuk
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
HARMAN
darrin.shewchuk@harman.com