Any issue with the Audi Q4 e-tron's HUD windscreen?

Hi Menno,

The Audi Q4 e-tron's optional augmented-reality head-up display projects information onto the windscreen at two apparent distances. Speed and other basic information appear about three metres ahead of the driver, while navigation instructions and other augmented-reality graphics appear approximately ten metres ahead.

We think you're asking whether the system causes a visible line or distortion in the windscreen itself. There have indeed been reports from Q4 e-tron owners of horizontal lines or slight optical distortion when looking through the glass. Interestingly, some owners have reported this even in cars without the head-up display, so it isn't necessarily related to the augmented-reality technology.

Audi has also issued a technical service bulletin concerning lines reflected onto the windscreen by the head-up display housing under certain lighting conditions. Audi regards those particular reflections as normal and does not recommend repairs.

However, that is different from actual distortion in the windscreen glass. We haven't found evidence of a widespread, officially acknowledged defect specifically caused by the AR display's two focal distances.

Our advice would be to test-drive a Q4 e-tron equipped with the system, paying attention to the windscreen in different lighting conditions. If there's a visible line or distortion that interferes with your view of the road, we'd ask an Audi dealer to investigate rather than assume it's an unavoidable characteristic of the technology.

We certainly did not notice any issue when we tested the updated Q4 e-tron.