Inside The 2012 Audi A7: A Tech-Lover's Dream Car (VIDEO)

In my written review of the 2012 Audi A7, I called the $60,000 sedan a tech-lover's dream car, due to its jet pilot display, handwriting recognizing touchpad, and first-of-its kind Google Earth GPS and in-vehicle WiFi. We had photos of these features back then, but to really get an idea of how all this stuff works, you need video. And now--voila!--we have just that.

Together with AOL Autos Associate Editor Ross Kenneth Urken (check out his take here), I took the Audi out for a spin and tested out some of its more prominent techno-centric features. Check them out in action--including our Skype video chat, directions mishap, and more--from inside the car.

WATCH:

Video produced by HuffPost's Hunter Stuart

Comments

[MrGovtCheese]

02:15 PM on 07/25/2011

I like the heads up display but some tech stuff you only want to get on a lease. If you buy then you have to consider that you'ld be locked into that built-in tech for as long as you own the car. And some of it's sure to be outpaced by external devices; like smart phones, tablets, and newer car tech-- which can affect resale.

I'd prefer car manufactures look for ways to better sync/link with multiple external devices using common protocols (usb, bluetooth, wireless). Allow the car to use your phone (or local free wireless) to get a wireless signal and basically function like a mobile laptop.

[CadOps]

01:45 PM on 07/25/2011

Love the Audi's

[layman]

01:26 PM on 07/25/2011

Audi wants you to crash and burn with all these destractions; so that more cars can be sold to gadget freaks/idiots.

[SickofLiers]

01:11 PM on 07/25/2011

Being a multiple Audi owner, I can only assume that this car is as fantastic as all the others in the Audi line. Don't knock it till you try one, as they are fantastic cars for those who appreciate awesome handling, styling and comfort.

[imonlyhereforthelaughs]

12:51 PM on 07/25/2011

So...you aren't actually going to get any of that gee-whiz stuff for $60k. More like $75k. Go to their website, build one, and see for yourself.

[Beg4Nothing]

12:21 PM on 07/25/2011

I had an Audi. Except for electrical problems, climate control problems, brake problems, transmission problems, leaking sunroof problems, jammed window problems, ignition problems, door lock problems, heater core problems, steering rack problems, and rattles and vibration problems, it was a nice car.

[Joey Greenwood]

12:19 PM on 07/25/2011

Lol at the idea that a tech lovers dream car is an automatic lololol

[ego1]

12:03 PM on 07/25/2011

these guys seem like total weiners.

[NAMU2010]

11:25 AM on 07/25/2011

Seems to be a really nice car with cool stuff, but what does it cost? My guess 70k

[trh1694]

11:46 AM on 07/25/2011

How about you read the first sentence of the article? "In my written review of the 2012 Audi A7, I called the $60,000 sedan a ...." If you can't even read the article for the relevant information, I don't think you should be driving a car with this kind of technology.

[NAMU2010]

12:39 PM on 07/25/2011

Your right...missed it....so glad there are people like you out there to keep everyone else in line...lol

[stopgeorge]

11:12 AM on 07/25/2011

Why not design a laptop dock into the car? Rather than be limited and have that stupid letter drawing pad device?

Even designing the car around a tablet device would be better than what they did here.

[Dr Alexander Hamilton]

11:06 AM on 07/25/2011

I'm more concerned about the impact of electric and magnetic fields on the human body. I recently purchased an EMF meter to monitor these fields and also microwaves in our house and cars. Now that we are trying to conceive, I've read a lot of research about the effect of these fields on humans, in particular in utero. I measured the EMF fields in my car and they are off the chart. All that navigation and high tech stuff in our cars is literally causes tons of waves to pass through us at close distance. When we operated automobiles today, It's almost like we are locked inside a box of electromagnetic waves. Throw in wifi and its a recipe for brain fry. With the recently released report on cell phones and cancer, we should all take notice. I no longer ride my wife in my car. We mostly drive her car, which has very low EMF readings. From now on when I purchase a vehicle I will take my EMF meter with me and measure the fields inside. Auto and tech manufacturers must do more to shield us from harmful radiation fields. I have a funny feeling that the next 20 years, cell phone and wifi lawsuits will be like the cigarette lawsuits of old. Technological gadgets in the future will come with warnings like cigarette labels. Proceed with caution.

[Alden Wicker]

10:57 AM on 07/25/2011

I was just in this car this weekend for a road trip. It had so many buttons, it was farcical. We actually did consider that the passenger might eject himself while he was picking out which suspension to use. Super fun though!

[Yorksgal]

10:54 AM on 07/25/2011

People can't even drive well with no tech items in the car.

Have you noticed how many people have to face their passenger to talk to them, with the resultant swaying, weaving of the car.

[romeyp]

10:45 AM on 07/25/2011

For all of you complaining about accidents, please come down! Most attention holding functions are disabled while the vehicle is in drive.
How do I know? My car had a lot of these functions and the ones that require you to contstantly look at the something other than the road do not function unless the car is in park.
I love gadgets! Keep'em coming!

[TheSecularist]

10:43 AM on 07/25/2011

This tech lover will NEVER have those distractions in the car. Why flirt with temptation? Every single day during my commute home, I see drivers whom I know are on their cell phones (or otherwise distracted) long before I pull up beside them. They're driving slower than others or ever so slowly weaving within their lane. I hate them and would probably have to be institutionalized if I ever hurt someone because I was distracted by a gadget.