Skip to main content

RTFM*? Not anymore! Audi replacing 2015 A3 manual with interactive augmented reality app

rtfm not anymore audi replacing 2015 a3 manual with interactive augmented reality app ekurzinfo
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Admit it, you’ve never even touched your car’s owner’s manual have you? Don’t worry you’re not alone. Apparently the good folks over at Audi haven’t either.

But rather than let all those thick instruction books continue to collect dust in your glove box, Audi has teamed up with Metaio, an augmented reality (AR) software company, in order to develop an Audi AR app for your phone.

The app is called eKurzinfo (expect that to change), and it utilizes your smartphone’s camera to project vehicle information straight to its screen. This can be in the form of simple information such as identifying the insignia on the windshield wipers and entertainment system to actual engine components under the hood. What does that button, d-pad, stalk or knob do? Just point your phone at it and wait for more information to pop up.

For example, pop the hood and point the lens at some mysterious thing and, viola, eKurzinfo is able to contact it’s knowledge base wirelessly and relay back information with an animated overlay showing you where and how to refill your engine coolant.

Metaio says it sees augmented reality and visualization software reducing the need for “costly and complex user manuals.” But more than that – it’s just plain cool! We can definitely see this approach to customer education catching on quickly.

Obviously, the interactive nature of the eKurzinfo app is the main attraction here, especially if it’s able to help drivers keep their Audi’s in tip-top shape. It also appears to be a much more fun and interactive way of understand the multiple features of a car, especially tech-heavy modern day cars, where a little extra knowledge about each individual bell and whistle is welcome.

According to Metaio, the app is able to recognize 300 different parts of the car so far.

The eKurzinfo app is currently available as a free download on iOS devices. But here is the bad news: it’s only available in Europe for Audi’s A1 and upcoming 2015 A3 sedan models at this time.

No word yet on whether or not we’ll be seeing it stateside, but we can’t imagine we’ll have to wait long before we do.

*RTFM? Read The F—–g Manual! What about you? Ever read your car’s manual? What do you think of this technology?

Editors' Recommendations

Amir Iliaifar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Associate Automotive Section Editor for Digital Trends, Amir Iliaifar covers the ever increasing cross-section between tech…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more