Recently Nvidia announced that Audi has selected its Tegra 3 mobile processor to power the German car maker’s in-vehicle infotainment systems, as well as its new digital instrument clusters that is replacing traditional dashboard gauges, across its full line of vehicles worldwide starting in 2013.

According to Nvidia, the energy efficient, integrated design of the chip enables quick application processing and 3D graphics, while also placing fewer demands on cars’ electrical systems. The company claims that the close integration of these systems with the vehicles, as well as their simple user-interface and realistic graphics, will allow for safer, more intuitive driving by providing critical information that can be easily understood by the driver with a quick glance.

Both the infotainment and the instrument-cluster systems will employ "Visual Computing Modules" (VCMs) powered by Tegra 3. VCMs are computer subsystems equipped with Tegra processors, memory and IO controllers that are specifically designed for automotive applications.

"Audi has long been at the forefront of automotive design, integrating state-of-the-art technology into our vehicles," said Ricky Hudi, chief executive engineer in the electrics/electronics department at Audi. "Our deep relationship with Nvidia demonstrates how we have consistently stayed ahead of the competition."

"Last year, we introduced the first live Google Earth experience in a car. This year, we are shipping vehicles featuring the Tegra 2 mobile processor. And next year, we will again break new ground with Tegra 3, delivering beautiful, rich visual experiences through the dashboard and the infotainment system. Nvidia is the clear choice to power our next generation systems."

Dan Vivoli, senior vice president at Nvidia stated: "Audi and Nvidia are radically narrowing the gap that has existed between consumer electronics and automotive electronics. By leveraging technology from the very latest smart phones and tablets, Audi is leading the market with innovations that enhance safety and make driving more enjoyable."

In related news Nvidia also recently announced that the Tsubame 2.0 supercomputer system at the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Global Scientific Information Center (GSIC), which ranks amongst the top ten greenest petaflop-class supercomputer in the world, is powered by Nvidia Tesla GPUs (graphics processing units).