Audi Will Now Let You Play Pictionary On Road Trips

Picture the scene: it’s Boxing Day, everyone’s a bit hungover, and you’ve already seen all the films BBC2 are showing. Someone suggests you break out the Pictionary, and half an hour later, nobody’s talking to each other. Ever fancied that same experience, but on, say, the M6 just outside Carlisle? Now, thanks to the integration of in-car gaming platform AirConsole into the latest generation of Audis, you can.

Yep, the same system that’ll let you play Pac-Man on a Volkswagen’s infotainment screen is now bringing everyone’s favourite drawing-based word-guessing game to VW’s posher cousin. Pictionary Car Party, a special in-car adaptation of the game, to the latest A5, Q5 and A6 combustion models as well as the electric A6 and Q6 E-Tron.

Unlike pretty much every other AirConsole based game, though, which requires the car to be parked up for fairly obvious reasons, Pictionary Car Party can be played on the move. Not by the driver – trying to identify someone’s appalling drawing of a giraffe while also focusing on the task of driving a car could have horrendous consequences.

No, they’re locked out by Audi’s Active Privacy Mode, a ‘digital curtain’ that blocks the driver’s view of the screen while keeping it visible for the passengers. They can while away the long hours on the road, with up to four players connecting and playing using their phones.

Erika Winterholler, head of business development for digital games at Pictionary parent company Mattel, said: “This collaboration is a game-changer, letting non-driving passengers join in on fun, interactive play using their smartphones. Most importantly, the front passenger can safely control the game without distracting the driver, ensuring that entertainment and safety go hand-in-hand. This is the future of social gaming on the move, making every journey more enjoyable.”

Other games available in Audis through the AirConsole partnership include car-friendly versions of Uno and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – although we’re not sure if the latter magically teleports Jeremy Clarkson into the back seat.