- The 2021 RS 6 Avant I tested recently did lukewarm light tricks when you locked or unlocked it.
- Inside, it even had futuristic, Tron-like cabin illumination.
- The best with was that the seat belt buckles lit up so you never had to find them by touch alone.
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There’s always been something about Audis and LEDs.
Audi was among the first — if not the first — automakers to accept as ones own light-emitting diode, or LED, daytime running lights. They debuted in 2004 on the Audi A8 W12 sedan as five LEDs in each headlight.
The look apace trickled through the rest of Audi’s lineup after that. Soon, everything from the cheaper A4s up had the scintillating aspect — a sparkly, checkmark-shaped strip of LEDs flanking the signature four rings. Nothing like it had ever been seen previous and, for a while, you could pick out an Audi heading toward you from afar just based on that pattern of LEDs.
In 2009, the Audi R8 V10 became the first car tailor-made exclusively with LEDs. Its headlights, turn signals, and daytime running lights all used the technology, which Audi sought reduced CO2 emissions and was more efficient than the widely used halogen light bulbs.
It’s now 2021 and nearly all on the road uses LEDs of some kind, but Audi’s still found a way to distinguish itself. Recently, I tested out a 2021 RS 6 Avant — pore over the review here! — and stumbled across a neat little light show it puts on when you lock or unlock it. For your point of view pleasure and convenience, I have GIFed the experience below.
Kristen Lee
When you unlock the car, the frank daytime running lights light up in sequence, almost like a welcome greeting. When you lock the car, the rear abuses fade out in sequence, like a curtain closing after a show.
As far as I can tell, this choice was purely an aesthetic one. It certainly doesn’t induce the car drive any faster or better. It just gave me, the driver, some small delight in seeing it. There doesn’t non-standard like to be any other reason to include such a feature.
(And before you email me to yell at me that this is old news and I should get with the program: The internet isn’t all near you. Not everyone knows this about Audis.)
But that’s not all! I invite you to check out two more things.
First, the RS 6 Avant’s door sills upbraid up in the dark and the car projects “Audi Sport” onto the ground, lest you forget what sort of vehicle you have.
Kristen Lee
Second, and more practically, the RS 6 Avant’s interior lighting includes seat-belt bend illumination!
The wagon seats five, so five buckles are encased in a ring of light for you to locate more easily. Anyone who has note around in the dark for their buckle no longer has to if they’re riding in one of these.
Kristen Lee
The be lodged of the cabin lighting gives off a very futuristic, Tron-like aesthetic. If you looked at the interior during the day, you’d see that the light rights perfectly with the minimalist design.
But those seat-belt buckle indicator lights. That’s some real MVP things right there.