Audi A4 Avant 2016 - MMI & Virtual Cockpit

This is the third of my videos about the new Audi A4 Avant. I received one of the first of these cars in January 2016, and in this video I take a detailed look at the Multimedia Interface (MMI) and the Virtual Cockpit.
The availability of some of the settings depend on the options that you take with your car, and so some of the deeper menu options may be different for your car (for instance, I didn't take many of the driver assistance options). However, the main screens are all shown here.
This video shows the advanced MMI and the Virtual Cockpit, which are expensive options but which greatly increase the flexibility and comfort of use of the interfaces. The advanced MMI includes satnav (which is not included in the standard package), a larger central screen, the touch-sensitive joystick (recommended), the SIM connection and various other connections and functions. The Virtual Cockpit is the most advanced of the three options for the instrument display. For more information on these, please see my video on the options.

[@canterburylllll]

Thanks for making this video, I was looking for someone that talks about the optional equipment, its true that official videos show high-end equipment that makes them a LOT more expensive, thanks again, greetings

[@marialanthony]

Thank you so much for making this video.. very informative, thumb up... 👍👍👍

[@sirbeautimus5346]

You deserve a lot more subscribers!!

[@elvinramaberg-appadhoo5719]

I have an Audi A4 limousine 2017. Why do I not have the Audi drive select? I cant find an answer to why my car doesn’t have it

[@mexistratman1]

Like your A4 videos hope to see more! I have one question for you, have you experienced any niggles or faults with any of the screens yet? Any screens freezing or loading SD cards for too long, anything like that?

[@jonathanoakey4745]

+Conor Sullivan Hi, thanks for your comment. Once at the very start it failed to load an SD card but since then I've had no problems. With that one small caveat, I'd say that it looks very solid. It takes a few seconds to load the nav system when you start the car but it's quicker to boot than my TomTom, and it doesn't take ages to wait for a satellite fix either.

[@mexistratman1]

+Jonathan Oakey Thanks for your reply! The reason I ask is that there's a new A4 in my family with the medium level dials and standard centre screen and there has been a few "teething problems" with the MMI. All great apart from that though!

[@callmemister]

Are you able to tell me if the center MMI screen can remain closed while driving and only using the virtual cockpit ? (on the 2016 or 2017 )

[@jonathanoakey4745]

There is a button to turn off the centre screen, on the row of buttons where you have the selectors for the drive mode, parking sensors etc. The screen does not move, but you can turn it on or off as you prefer. Sometimes I've found this useful when driving at night.

[@remusurs595]

I also have this car model. I was wondering why I can't see the "smartphone interface" menu. So there is no Android Auto on this MMI model ? :(

[@darrenogilvy1981]

My one has it

[@agvr5653]

Jonathan, thank you for your very informative videos, I've been enjoying them a lot while I'm waiting for my Audi to arrive in a month or so;btw there is one thing I would like to know which is not mentioned in your video : with my last two cars, I've been using a USB pendrive 256 GB to store all my music and listen to it with the car media player... where should I plug it in the Audi ? Oh..and I do have the Audi phone box like you do. Thanks

[@jonathanoakey4745]

Thanks for your comment. In my car, there is a USB socket under the armrest, by the phone box, but it's only for charging - I don't think you can use a USB slot for music. Mine has two SD card slots in the glove box, by the DVD player and the SIM card slot, and so I have one SD card for my music, and one for my girlfriend's music, and it's easy to switch between them. That comes with the advanced multimedia system, I believe, so you may have to check what you will have if you didn't order that option.

[@agvr5653]

Jonathan we share most of the options, ( at least for the multimedia ) and your video made me opt for the color you got too, so thanks twice. Anyway someone on a local forum here in Italy says that with an adapter cable it is possible to connect the USB pen to one of the ports..but it is not clear to me wether this guy has the phone box or not. It would be quite a shame for Audi to go in the opposite direction as all the major automotive brands, since connecting a USB pendrive to a car, beyond being more practical to load quickly music with a PC, seems to be the standard nowadays.

[@jonathanoakey4745]

You can buy an SD card very cheaply, and honestly I think that's easier than getting an adapter cable! I hope you like your Audi as much as I like mine :)

[@agvr5653]

I will, probably...btw, last question, do you happen to know the max size of the SD which can be used ? I'd like a 128 or 256 GB but I'm not sure it can be read by the MMI...

[@jonathanoakey4745]

I have a 64gb SD card and I haven't tried anything larger than that. I checked my car's manual and it doesn't say anything about a maximum size, sorry! Maybe your Audi dealer can answer the question.

[@GeaguM]

Do you need to activate something for the sensitive touch wheel. Tomorrow I'm getting one the same but when i tried writing letters on it doesn't work

[@jonathanoakey4745]

It works whenever you need to enter something like an address in the navigation screen, or for example to move the map screen. The whole thing acts like a joystick too. If you have any doubts, get the current owner to show you that it works!

[@GeaguM]

@@jonathanoakey4745 i was just asking because i tought it may be an option. Thanks for your time anyway. I'll keep following you for further infos

[@jonathanoakey4745]

@@GeaguM that's a good point, I'd forgotten. Yes, it was an option, I think it was part of the multimedia interface upgrade. I remember trying a test car without it and thinking that it was really awkward - you had to scroll through the letters on the screen instead.

[@GeaguM]

@@jonathanoakey4745 yeah you have to scroll. I just got the car and it doesn't have the option. Not a big deal but it was nice to have one. At least i enjoy the touch on the number pad and on the reading lights.

[@dlite25]

Hello Jonathan First off all I am glad that I have found your YT channel.And I like it a lot. Recently I bought a used 2017 A4 variant and I find it strange that LTE signal bars are shown on the screen without any sim card in the slot. When a saw that, I have checked it if the previous owner forgot his card inside. I find it not logic how could it show signal without a sim card. Funny thing that my car was actually imported from Belgium to Slovenia. Do you have any answers for me maybe. Greetings

[@jonathanoakey4745]

Thanks for your comment. If your phone is connected to the car, perhaps what's displayed is your phone's signal? If I remember correctly, when your phone is connected it goes through the car's connection, which is stronger than the phone's.

[@dlite25]

@@jonathanoakey4745 Thank you for jour answer. It is displayed if i am connected via BT or not. I was wondering if the car itself has somekind of an inbuilt phone Connection but it doesn't make sence. Like who would have let you connect to like any network without paying. I don't want to be like paranoid or something but honestly I do have a little concern if maybe that is how they steal cars. As it is a used car and I know how my cousin could find his Mercedes CLA over so called find my car in his App even later when he sold it. Can you tell me how many keyes did you get with your new car? I haven't got time yet to visit an official dealership to get this clear but I will defininety. I will keep you posted of what they say👍

[@jonathanoakey4745]

@@dlite25 There is an emergency connection service so perhaps that's it, but perhaps you can find the manual online and look in there. I got two keys with my car. Good luck!

[@georgio8865]

does it have carplay?

[@jonathanoakey4745]

Mine doesn't no.

[@faredmohsseni5028]

can u add apple carplay?

[@jonathanoakey4745]

I don't think so - I don't believe that it has appeared in any software updates. I haven't really noticed software updates happening on my car, except once when I took it back to Audi and they said that it needed some updates, but they did not seem to change anything in the user interface or options.

[@stephaneberich4983]

mm

[@jnewzealand4677]

Great content but boy is that music annoying! It’s just not necessary.

[@billkent4297]

PLEASE STOP PLAYING MUSIC it is totally unnecessary and detracts from your dialog... apart from this ok..