Front Assist , scary!

[apecsteve]

Hi, this is my first post so hope it makes sense.

I've only had my Mk 7 GTD for two weeks this coming Tuesday but have already had two instances where the front assist has "kicked in", resulting in disturbing sudden braking when unnecessary. In both instances I was travelling at low speed around a traffic light-controlled roundabout with HGV's on my inside and I wasn't in any danger of colliding with them (although in the second case the person behind nearly rear-ended me when the system pulled me up sharply!!).

I've started turning the system off using the aforementioned left stalk button / steering wheel OK button but was wondering if anyone knows of a way of permanently switching it off, as the above method re-sets the system to active again at each re-start. As a police-trained advanced driver I'd certainly prefer to be in TOTAL control of the vehicle without being compromised as I have done in my short time with the car to date.

ps - other than the above the car's a dream, as anyone with the same model will no doubt know!!

 

[Avanti]

Hi, this is my first post so hope it makes sense.

I've only had my Mk 7 GTD for two weeks this coming Tuesday but have already had two instances where the front assist has "kicked in", resulting in disturbing sudden braking when unnecessary. In both instances I was travelling at low speed around a traffic light-controlled roundabout with HGV's on my inside and I wasn't in any danger of colliding with them (although in the second case the person behind nearly rear-ended me when the system pulled me up sharply!!).

I've started turning the system off using the aforementioned left stalk button / steering wheel OK button but was wondering if anyone knows of a way of permanently switching it off, as the above method re-sets the system to active again at each re-start. As a police-trained advanced driver I'd certainly prefer to be in TOTAL control of the vehicle without being compromised as I have done in my short time with the car to date.


ps - other than the above the car's a dream, as anyone with the same model will no doubt know!!

Let's be real, if you were an expert driver, you wouldn't be earning pennies for the local force, but living it up like Lewis Hamilton or Timothy Cathcart this link here shows enough examples of these advanced drivers And more recently ,to answer your question though as you won't read the manual, the left cluster of buttons on the steering wheel has the on off for the ACC, it will turn the system off but you will also lose cruise control.

 

[apecsteve]

Let's be real, if you were an expert driver, you wouldn't be earning pennies for the local force, but living it up like Lewis Hamilton or Timothy Cathcart this link here shows enough examples of these advanced drivers And more recently ,to answer your question though as you won't read the manual, the left cluster of buttons on the steering wheel has the on off for the ACC, it will turn the system off but you will also lose cruise control.

Thanks for the energetic way you've tried to rubbish my first post - hope you're pleased with yourself!! If I was still serving (which my post didn't state) perhaps I'd have the "pleasure" of bumping into you sometime!!

I obviously know how to turn the system off as I described above (so there wasn't anything positive at all for me in your reply), but by the way get your facts straight - deactivating the front assist doesn't turn off the ACC, give it a go if you don't believe me

 

[vwtc]

First post.......I have had the car for 1 year the end of the month. I can honestly say that in the 40 odd years I have been driving it has been the best car I have every driven. Over the years I have sports cars (TR6/Lotus/mgb's) Saloon cars (Triumph/ford/vw). In normal driving it goes forever on a tank of petrol. The gearbox is a delight. Enjoy it.

 

[Avanti]

Thanks for the energetic way you've tried to rubbish my first post - hope you're pleased with yourself!! If I was still serving (which my post didn't state) perhaps I'd have the "pleasure" of bumping into you sometime!!

I obviously know how to turn the system off as I described above (so there wasn't anything positive at all for me in your reply), but by the way get your facts straight - deactivating the front assist doesn't turn off the ACC, give it a go if you don't believe me

Sorry I did forget to say welcome to the forum in my original reply when I edited it, the part in bold, is as I suggest as I turned it off on Friday on a 40 mile trip and the cruise didn't work, even the next morning on my return, until I pressed the i/o button again , the actual front assist icons do come on, but I don't know if it really works or not as I dare not try it to the fullness like the AEB tests videos on youtube, although often I find I would be travelling above the 19mph limit for the system to work.
BTW I was not trying to rubbish your 1st post, just my way of disagreeing that the police drivers are in someway superior drivers, naturally not everyone of them ends up in some kind of RTA whilst in persuit or on duty.
I'm not sure what the training consists of or how much it differs from the road awareness courses that many of us have to take as part of our training if we have to do any driving for the company or that of the speed awareness courses. Hope that's cleared things up slightly.

 

[apecsteve]

Sorry I did forget to say welcome to the forum in my original reply when I edited it, the part in bold, is as I suggest as I turned it off on Friday on a 40 mile trip and the cruise didn't work, even the next morning on my return, until I pressed the i/o button again , the actual front assist icons do come on, but I don't know if it really works or not as I dare not try it to the fullness like the AEB tests videos on youtube, although often I find I would be travelling above the 19mph limit for the system to work.
BTW I was not trying to rubbish your 1st post, just my way of disagreeing that the police drivers are in someway superior drivers, naturally not everyone of them ends up in some kind of RTA whilst in persuit or on duty.
I'm not sure what the training consists of or how much it differs from the road awareness courses that many of us have to take as part of our training if we have to do any driving for the company or that of the speed awareness courses. Hope that's cleared things up slightly.

No problem, I've learned to rise above the quite common wise cracks over the years in any case, having attended many situations involving serious injury / fatality due to excess speed / distracted inadequate drivers.

By the way, the vast majority of police trained drivers have been equipped (assuming they pass the rigorous courses and regular reassessments) with the ABILITY to drive well above the standard of joe public (or those having taken any of the usual company provided courses you mentioned) - although I'm not naïve enough to say that there aren't some who still choose to drive like morons. An initial three week standard driving course preceded by a theory exam and followed by a strict driving assessment just to drive a panda, then an advanced course of at least four weeks duration to progress onto a traffic car with regular reassessments is far and above anything routinely undertaken by civilian professional drivers. The exception may be some of the very good longer term IAM courses and assessments available.

I'm sure I'm correct in that with the front assist disabled the ACC still works fully, including automatically slowing when approaching slower traffic or if someone pulls into the gap ahead; I'll be trying this again on my morning commute to double check.

 

[mickR]

Welcome to the forum Steve, I await delivery of my MK7 and have read various reports of 'incidents' of sudden unexpected braking, which also cause me concern. If I experience anything untoward, I will contact VW and make them aware, although I suspect that they will be reluctant to accept there maybe flaws with the system.

 

[Avanti]

No problem, I've learned to rise above the quite common wise cracks over the years in any case,

I'm sure I'm correct in that with the front assist disabled the ACC still works fully, including automatically slowing when approaching slower traffic or if someone pulls into the gap ahead; I'll be trying this again on my morning commute to double check.

Honestly, I only knew that the i/o button switched the system off as I left work on Friday and entered a busy city centre roundabout the red icon appeared, so I pressed the i/o button on the steering wheel, during the rest of my journey I couldn't get ACC to work, at 1st I thought as the ECB had come on, then it deactivates the system thereafter, however near the end of my journey when exiting the M42 , I switched the ignition off and back on again and the ACC still didn't work (the car too close icon was coming on during the journey) , the next morning on the way home I tried the ACC again and it still wouldn't work, after a couple of miles I remembered I had pressed the i/o button the day before, so I pressed it again and presto ACC again

PS pressing the stalk button whilst the system was off just reported that the ACC was de-activated.

 

[apecsteve]

Thanks Mick. I suppose there's always the possibility that systems such as the front assist may make unnecessary interventions which is why I'd prefer to turn it off without having to remember to do so every time after the car's restarted, which seems to be the case unfortunately. On further research I can across the following, http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/need-help/owners/Golf-front-assist, which seems to answer my initial question in the negative.

 

[Avanti]

Welcome to the forum Steve, I await delivery of my MK7 and have read various reports of 'incidents' of sudden unexpected braking, which also cause me concern. If I experience anything untoward, I will contact VW and make them aware, although I suspect that they will be reluctant to accept there maybe flaws with the system.

Mick the AEB system will be standard on all cars in a few years time just like DRL, so it is something you are going to have to accept is on cars.
I have had the red warning and audio come on, but not sudden braking what some posters are complaining of.
I'm sure I'm not the only poster here with some sort of dash cam fitted, and whilst I do not disbelieve the posters... it's about time somebody posted an example of what they are reffering to.

 

[Avanti]

Thanks Mick. I suppose there's always the possibility that systems such as the front assist may make unnecessary interventions which is why I'd prefer to turn it off without having to remember to do so every time after the car's restarted, which seems to be the case unfortunately. On further research I can across the following, http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/need-help/owners/Golf-front-assist, which seems to answer my initial question in the negative.

Steve the sytem works with reading via the radar sensor at the front, so essentially you could disconnect the sensor and the system could not function as it has no way of obtaining the data to process.

 

[apecsteve]

I'm sure you're correct Avanti, but that would prevent the ACC from working too which wouldn't be a good option. All I'd prefer is some way of not having to re-deselect the front assist at every start-up, in the same way as the car remembers that you've turned the auto-hold brake setting on when you next start up. Doesn't seem too much to ask for, however perhaps this is intentional as I think many insurance companies recognise the alleged safer nature of front assist fitted cars by giving discounted premiums for such, which they probably wouldn't if it was easily fully deactivated.

 

[mickR]

May be possbile to disable it via VCDS, not sure? But as you say insurers have classed the MK7 much lower than MK6 because of safety features and to disable it, may invalidate insurance? When my car arrives I will keep an eye on things and if experience any false alarms, make a mental note and try and avoid a similar situation occuring.

 

[GC854]

I think many insurance companies recognise the alleged safer nature of front assist fitted cars by giving discounted premiums for such, which they probably wouldn't if it was easily fully deactivated.

This has been reported as being the case. Like you however I would prefer full control. I've had one 'interesting' moment with the ACC causing a rapid deceleration when it thought a car on a slip road was in the same lane as me!!

Had no issues with the Front Assist but I can understand why it might 'jump in' when travelling around a roundabout.

 

[JCJ]

I think it is an excellent system. Front assist came into play last week when the car I was following at around 60mph decided that the left turn that they actually wanted to make was NOW! No indication, no gradual braking. They looked as if they were about to roll their car with such an abrupt turn and my car slammed on the brakes before I had chance.

It all happened so fast and I was about to brake. My passengers were shocked, but impressed that the system averted an accident.

P.S. This post is open to criticisms, but I am happy with my car.