Err....Front Assist

[Dejay]

Hello everyone.

 

I have a Skoda Superb Sel Executive 1.4 Tsi Act and am very happy with it indeed.

 

But can I ask a question please? The front assist; is it designed to stop rear end shunts?

 

I have used ACC on the motoryway and think it is brilliant. The way it take the pressure of my daily commute between junctions 3 & 4 of the M6 is wonderful, especially when that section attracts the most ignorant of drivers.

 

However, when in slow moving and stop start traffic, I was expecting the Front Assist to brake if I was not paying attention. I have deliberately coasted close to the car in front (at low speed) and got the audible warning, but nothing else. It has never applied the brakes at all,  I have to be honest and say I run out of courage and apply the brake anyway, as I do not want to hurt anyone. It does seem very close to the car in front, however.......

 

The Front Assist box is ticked. Am I being a bit dim witted or is there a simple reason for this?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

[999pooch]

Hello everyone.

I have a Skoda Superb Sel Executive 1.4 Tsi Act and am very happy with it indeed.

But can I ask a question please? The front assist; is it designed to stop rear end shunts?

I have used ACC on the motoryway and think it is brilliant. The way it take the pressure of my daily commute between junctions 3 & 4 of the M6 is wonderful, especially when that section attracts the most ignorant of drivers.

However, when in slow moving and stop start traffic, I was expecting the Front Assist to brake if I was not paying attention. I have deliberately coasted close to the car in front (at low speed) and got the audible warning, but nothing else. It has never applied the brakes at all, I have to be honest and say I run out of courage and apply the brake anyway, as I do not want to hurt anyone. It does seem very close to the car in front, however.......

The Front Assist box is ticked. Am I being a bit dim witted or is there a simple reason for this?

Thank you in advance.

The Front assist tends to deploy more when the rate of change of the distance of the car in front reduces very quickly, i.e. the car in front suddenly brakes hard and the gap reduces very quickly.

At lower speeds and just coasting up to a slowly braking car, the Front Assist will probably not intervene until very late.

It does work though, had a couple of times where the car in front has done just as described in the first paragraph. Quite a strange experience feeling the brake pedal disappear from your foot!

Edited 28 April, 2016 by 999pooch

[Rainmaker]

As I understand it... The brakes on modern cars are much better than most people imagine, i.e. they stop faster from closer than you might think. The car warned you're too close, but it won't (generally) step in until it's certain you're not going to apply the brakes or you're about to be too late to do so. THEN you get to kiss the dashboard.

[Alf01]

......... THEN you get to kiss the dashboard.

LOL :clap:

[RickTT]

also.. it wont prevent a crash... it will just stick the brakes on that second or 2 in advance to reduce the impact.

 

I have only had it kick in once and if i was not changing direction it would of been an impact. (see thread) http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/394164-front-assist-false-positive-braking-nudge/

Edited 28 April, 2016 by RickTT

[reedfarmer]

I have an L&K so forgive me if it is different....on the ACC control lever you can adjust the distance +/- and when I am not paying attention the ACC will bring me to a halt well before the car in front. From start I then have to blip the accelerator to restart. Hope this helps....

[999pooch]

I have an L&K so forgive me if it is different....on the ACC control lever you can adjust the distance +/- and when I am not paying attention the ACC will bring me to a halt well before the car in front. From start I then have to blip the accelerator to restart. Hope this helps....

That's different to front assist, which can only be ON or OFF

[RickTT]

see link above in my post

[999pooch]

also.. it wont prevent a crash... it will just stick the brakes on that second or 2 in advance to reduce the impact.

I have only had it kick in once and if i was not changing direction it would of been an impact. (see thread) http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/394164-front-assist-false-positive-braking-nudge/

Whilst technically true, it will prevent the crash if possible. It will take over the braking and come to a halt.

I think VAG have deliberately not said it will prevent a crash, to mitigate all circumstances.

Edit: just read the blurb, & it states 'under ideal conditions a collision may be completely avoided'

Edited 28 April, 2016 by 999pooch

[Dejay]

Many thanks for the speedy answers. Your comments explain a lot, thank you.

[Dr Zoidberg]

also.. it wont prevent a crash... it will just stick the brakes on that second or 2 in advance to reduce the impact.

 

 

That depends entirely on the circumstances. If the car in front stops abruptly, it's likely that FA will apply the brakes and stop you safely if you forget to do it. Physics still applies though, so if someone pulls out in front of you and stops, there's clearly a point at which you are so close FA can do nothing more than reduce the impact.

 

They don't guarantee it will always stop a crash, but it will definitely stop some.

[999pooch]

That depends entirely on the circumstances. If the car in front stops abruptly, it's likely that FA will apply the brakes and stop you safely if you forget to do it. Physics still applies though, so if someone pulls out in front of you and stops, there's clearly a point at which you are so close FA can do nothing more than reduce the impact.

They don't guarantee it will always stop a crash, but it will definitely stop some.

Exactly, 'under ideal conditions'

[reedfarmer]

see link above in my post

I thought it was a different terminology. Many thanks to both for the clarification.