14 December 2021: The Audi Foundation has generously donated an Audi A7 Sportback vehicle to the University of Canberra’s Faculty of Science and Technology and Faculty of Arts and Design that will be used to enhance the research and education purposes for UC students in 2022.
The Audi A7 is a design masterpiece with specifications that should have any aspiring tech-savvy UC student eager to engage with as part of their coursework.
The vehicle will be used by final year network and software engineering students to undertake research in the hot topic of Vehicle to Everything (V2X) – a new communications system that allows vehicles to communicate with other vehicles and infrastructure around them.
“We are on the verge of a new era of connected autonomous cars, with unrivalled user interfaces, vastly improved road safety, a wide range of mobility conditions and a plethora of innovative applications,” said Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Professor Janine Deakin.
“The Audi A7 vehicle will be an ideal test bed for our students to experiment various V2X solutions and collaborate with the automotive industry. We will also be able to conduct Masters by Research and PhD projects in this highly demanding area of research.”
The sleek lines and automotive elegance of the Audi A7 will be the ideal canvas for the Faculty of Arts and Design students who will have access to the vehicle for design purposes.
“We know that design is almost always cited as the primary motive for purchase in the luxury class car industry. The Faculty of Arts and Design is delighted to work with Audi and the Audi A7 to explore, prototype and test the emerging architecture of mobility,” said Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design, Professor Jason Bainbridge.
“As a designer in the field of automation, there has never been a time as exciting as today. This positions our students in Industrial Design, Architecture, Interior Architecture, Visual Communication Design and Interaction Design as preeminent contributors to the rethinking and reconfiguration of the future of automobile design.”
“We are delighted to be able to support educational institutions, such as the University of Canberra, with examples of the latest in automotive technology,” said Paul Sansom, Chairman of the Audi Foundation and Managing Director of Audi Australia.
“The Audi Foundation’s support of institutions like the University of Canberra is one way that we are able to realise our ambition to drive meaningful change by shaping strong education outcomes.”
Board Director of the Audi Foundation and Dealer Principal from Audi Centre Canberra, Richard Rolfe AM said he is excited to continue working with the University through a partnership that has been forged over many years.
“Audi Centre Canberra believes in forging strong partnerships within our local community, and the University of Canberra has a clear connection to our community, customers and partners. I am looking forward to seeing the work that University of Canberra students will produce that will drive progress and create meaningful change,” said Mr Rolfe.