This is how the new active suspension that will equip the new Audi A8 works

Little by little we are unpacking all the new technology that the new Audi A8 will bring, which, as you will remember, is about to be presented, specifically on July 11 during the celebration of the first Audi Summit in Barcelona. So far, we already know that it will feature the new generation of the Audi Space Frame chassis, which has achieved such success for Audi, and that it will be the first A8 to feature an electric propulsion system as standard.

Today we will tell you about the latest evolution that Audi has applied to its active suspension system, thus achieving a level of control, stability, comfort and safety that was previously unknown in an A8. Apart from the usual suspension components, in the new Audi A8’s suspension we find several gears, a rotary shaft with an internal torsion bar made of titanium, and a lever that, through a coupling rod, exerts up to 1,100 Nm of torque on the suspension. Finally, each wheel has an electric motor that operates connected to the main 48 V electrical system.

Once we have the main elements of the new active suspension of the Audi A8, there is still another no less important one: the front video camera. This last element is capable of detecting the potholes ahead of us and, predictively and within milliseconds, the Audi A8 is able to adjust the operation of the suspension at the precise and appropriate moment. This happens because the camera is capable of recognising road information 18 times per second, thus offering a high level of comfort that in no way detracts from dynamic handling in sporty driving, quite the contrary.

Another point in favour of comfort for all occupants is that with this new suspension, body roll is reduced to a minimum not only in corners, but also in the typical pitching when braking and accelerating. Furthermore, with this suspension, combined with the smooth dynamic steering and the rear-axle steering, the engineers at Audi have managed to make the turning circle of the new Audi A8 even smaller than that of an A4.

Finally, in terms of passive safety, thanks to the joint work of the suspension with the Audi pre sense 360° system, which uses a series of sensors to detect collision risks, the new Audi A8 is capable of raising the suspension by up to 80 mm in just half a second in the event of a side impact at over 25 km/h. In this way, in the event of a collision, the impact is directed towards the most reinforced areas, thus reducing by up to 50% the injury the occupants would suffer in a vehicle whose body does not rise.