Audi DMS: Smart Eye or Seeing Machines?
Steering column or rear view mirror? China or Europe? Audi AG or FAW Audi?
Recent videos posted on YouTube provide visual evidence of the first Audi model to reach start-of-production (SoP) with DMS. Shown here is the 2025 Audi Q6L with the DMS module mounted on the steering column. Let’s call that a victory for Smart Eye, which claimed triumph at Audi in both 2020 and then again last year. But…
The Audi Q6L is an SUV developed exclusively for the Chinese market, and is manufactured not by Audi AG in Germany, but FAW-Volkswagen Automobile Co., in China.
Source: YouTube
So far we only have evidence of FAW Audi reaching SoP using Smart Eye DMS in one model for the Chinese market. Next let’s look at who supplies the rear view mirror for the Q6L. The same video shows us the easily recognizable electronic Magna mirror.
Source: YouTube
This mirror we have seen upgraded to perform occupant monitoring in the 2024 VW Tiguan L Pro for the Chinese market, shown below. Note the four IR LEDs just visible on the right side of the mirror glass, but which are invisible to the human eye.
Source: YouTube
Evidence confirms Smart Eye has at least one Audi model at SoP for the China market. But Seeing Machines has reached SoP with VW in China with Magna for the occupant monitoring mirror.
Extensive research shows Magna already supplies almost all of the VW brands with electronic mirrors in Europe, China and North America. Discussion of the expansion of the Magna program with VW was discussed in a previous post.
So the outcome at Audi, and also Porsche, is largely going to be dictated by how successful Magna is at converting its existing electronic rear view mirror business with the VW Group to the occupant monitoring mirror. Let’s dig deeper to look for clues.