Audi just reinvented the indicator stalk, but it isn’t what you think

Audi has revealed the all-new Q3 SUV, with a sharp new face, a hybrid range of up to 74 miles, and a new take on the humble indicator stalk.

Before you reach for your pitchfork, this isn’t the same turn signal reinvention we saw on the Tesla Model 3 a couple of years ago. Instead of putting a couple of tiny buttons on one side of the steering wheel and hoping drivers will relearn roundabouts, Audi has subtly modified the stalk we’re all familiar with.

In fact, it has created a whole new set of hardware mounted between the steering wheel and the driver display, with the goal of putting key controls – like the indicators, wipers and lights – all within easy reach of the driver’s fingers. It reminds me of how McLaren installs its drive mode selectors to the instrument binnacle, just a finger stretch away from the wheel.

Back to the new Audi Q3, and while the indicator controls have changed, it looks like they can still be controlled by pushing at the stalk in the direction you’d turn the wheel. There’s a button on the top of the stalk for indicating left (which would be a downward push on a traditional stalk), and a button on the bottom for indicating right (normally done by pushing upwards).

It seems far more logical than Tesla’s approach, and is also an improvement over the buttons on the wheels of various Ferraris and Lamborghinis. An outstretched finger should be enough to activate either turn signal.

The new hardware, called the steering wheel control unit, also includes buttons and a dial on the left for the wipers, and a gear selector on the right. Audi might not be reinventing the wheel, but it’s certainly had a go at reinventing the stalk. I can’t wait to see how it all works in the real world, and whether it really is an improvement over the switchgear we’re all used to – and, crucially, whether there’s actually any benefit to the new system.

Elsewhere, the new Q3 is broadly as expected from the latest generation of Audi’s best-selling crossover. The dashboard houses a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, and there’s an 11.9-inch driver display behind the wheel.

Outside, there are sharper bodywork creases and slimmer LED lights, and the rear Audi badge is illuminated. Engine options start with a four-cylinder mild-hybrid, move through a diesel, and end with a flagship plug-in hybrid with a 25.7 kWh battery, 50 kW charging and a claimed electric-only range of 74 miles.

An option that caught my eye is a premium sound system by Sonos, with extra speakers installed in the upper sections of the doors and virtual surround sound. There are 12 speakers in total for the Sonos system, plus a subwoofer, and a total output of 420 watts.

The new Audi Q3 is priced from £38,300, rising to about £45,000 for the plug-in hybrid, and the order books open in July.