New A8 saloon will feature Audi's most advanced suspension ever

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Photos / Audi

Photos / Audi

The all-new A8 - Audi's flagship luxury saloon - will benefit from a range of new smart technologies that promise to elevate the forthcoming model to the pinnacle of Audi's range.

On of the most significant is newly developed camera-linked active suspension. The new system utilises the front-facing camera and advanced imaging technology to map the road ahead and adjust suspension and dampening settings for oncoming bumps on the road surface. 

Even before the car reaches a bump in the road, the preview function developed by Audi transmits the right amount of travel to the actuators and actively controls the suspension.

Audi say the active suspension can then react precisely at the right time, virtually eliminating vibrations and jolts. This complex process takes just a few milliseconds, with the camera generating information about the road surface condition 18 times a second.

An electronic chassis platform (ECP) processes the road surface information and controls all suspension components almost in real time.

In conjunction with the air suspension for the A8, the innovative suspension concept is said to deliver an entirely new driving experience with minimalised body roll during cornering, and pitching movements when braking or accelerating.

In conjunction with the Audi pre sense 360˚ safety system, the active suspension on the new Audi A8 will take passive safety to a new level.

The system uses the sensors networked in the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) to detect risks of a collision around the car. In the event of an imminent side impact at more than 24km/h the suspension actuators raise the body on the exposed side by up to 80mm within half a second.

As a result, the collision is directed to stronger areas of the saloon, such as side sills and floor structure. This action can decreases the side impact force on occupants by up to 50 per cent.

The new A8 will also feature a new all-wheel steering system. The combination of dynamic and rear axle steering is said to deliver agility and handling stability with direct steering characteristics. All-wheel steering will also help in tight situations, thanks to the system the turning circle of the A8 is smaller than that of the current A4.

Full details of the new Audi A8 will be released overnight at its world debut in Barcelona.