I've been to view a VRS today, it had rear parking sensors and the dealer was telling me that factory fit parking sensors are the optical ones (gives a visual display on the head unit), and the parking sensors that just 'beep' are retro fitted by dealers.

Is that correct does anyone know??

As far as I know no retrofit parking sensors will give a display on the radio - only factory fit ones do that.

I believe (and hope) that it is possible as this thread leads me to believe as I am half way through doing this myself.

Had to stop as I found out that the CAN wire was too short to reach my CAN Gateway and had to order 10m of extra twisted pair wire.

It won't be the end of the world if I can't get it to work, but I have an upgraded CAN Gateway and the CAN wire will be in place, so in theory it should work

I understand from my dealer (DM Keith Ossett) that it is possible to retrofit and have the display on the radio. What stopped me was the eye watering price. They stated that due to the re wire a lot of the interior has to be removed hence higher labour time. But I understand it is possible.

So just to confirm, all factory fit parking sensors display on the screen and aren't the 'beep' only type.

So just to confirm, all factory fit parking sensors display on the screen and aren't the 'beep' only type.

yes.

if u have only rear parking sensors - u'll get this:-

if u have both front & rear parking sensors - u'll get this:-

I understand from my dealer (DM Keith Ossett) that it is possible to retrofit and have the display on the radio.

I'm not sure on the FL vRS's, but on the earlier vRS's with Stream HU etc., you needed to switch the display on in the menu for the OE fitment parking sensors to display on the screen.

You can usually tell if they are aftermarket sensors - if they look 'pushed in' to the bumper, rather than the bumper looking moulded to accept the OE sensors, then I would say they are aftermarket.

Another way of telling is from the paint finish on the sensors; if they look a different finish to the bumper, again they are probably aftermarket.

I'm not sure on the FL vRS's, but on the earlier vRS's with Stream HU etc., you needed to switch the display on in the menu for the OE fitment parking sensors to display on the screen.

mine's a FL vRS with factory fit sensors - you get the display as per JR's pics above automatically as soon as you select reverse.

.. but not in german thankfully.

There is a halfway option too...

I have these (or similar) http://www.parkingsensors.co.uk/dolphin_rear_display_reversing_sensors.asp which I had the dealer fit for me for free when I bought mine.

Basically you get a reversed display above the back windows (Which is the right way round in the rear view mirror) which shows you distance to nearest object in meter (1.2 => 0.4 and then P for 20cm) and a graphical readout of which side is closest.

Funky stuff; especially since I tend to spend more time looking behind me when reversing, rather than at the radio.

I've just finished retro-fitting front & rear sensors to my Octavia estate and I have got OPS as well.

Had to upgrade the CAN to stop the Columbus draining the battery (did that ages ago) and thought that it was going to be new enough to support OPS!

No joy - but I had a trick up my sleeves (T-shirt as it has been so hot today)...

Used VCDS to go into 19 - CAN Gateway and told it that I had a Octavia sedan (I have an estate / combi) and that worked, but it did show a picture of the Vrs 'sedan' (not surprisingly).

Not one to rest on small successes, I tested it (all good) and then told the CAN (and 10 - PDC) it was really an estate / combi.

Guess what?

It still worked and now showed a picture of the estate! Yipee!

Colours on the display are not the same as the pictures above (the indicator lines are silvery white like the car) but it works properly.

So, it can be done with retro-fit kits and the CAN can be tricked into working. Try it - you just might like it.