Just one in four Audi drivers consult their vehicle's manual, so it's no wonder customers are oblivious about many of their car's functions. Addressing this disconnect, Audi has launched Audi Reader, a new feature in its app that uses computer vision to transform how drivers interact with their vehicles. Developed in collaboration with Ogilvy Barcelona and vision tech startup Roboflow, the system was trained on over 10,000 images captured from 27 current Audi models, with each component meticulously tagged and linked to information from the manual.
Drivers simply point their smartphone camera at any part of their Audi, a dashboard control, warning light or cabin element, and the app instantly identifies the component and provides clear information about its function. Beyond explaining features, the app also allows users to chat with their after-sales advisor, request workshop appointments or call for roadside assistance.
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The fact that so few people read their car manuals could be laziness, or it could be a shift in expectation. People now expect technology to explain itself through instant, intuitive and intelligent assistance with zero friction. It's no longer enough to pack products with advanced features; brands need to close any knowledge gap for their customers in real-time and on-demand. Audi Reader aligns with how consumers already interact with the rest of the world: Snap. Scan. Solve. As visual recognition technology matures, brands gain another avenue for proactively adapting to human behavior, rather than the other way around.