Have I Got Front Assist?

[nbramwel]

I recently swapped my 2015 Fabia SE L DSG for a September 2018 Octavia SE manual (2019 model I believe).  The Fabia came with cruise control, speed limiter and front assist which was built into the lower front grill.  The Octavia has standard cruise control but no speed limiter. 

 

I am confused over whether the Octavia has front assist as standard.  The car has what appears to be a radar housing for it in the middle of the top front grill but I can't see any wires or suchlike connected to it (access is very limited mind).  Any help will be appreciated.  Thank you.

[PetrolDave]

If you have standard cruise control, not adaptive cruise control (ACC) then there is no front radar (which is essential for ACC) and hence no front assist (which requires the front radar).

[ahenners]

10 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

If you have standard cruise control, not adaptive cruise control (ACC) then there is no front radar (which is essential for ACC) and hence no front assist (which requires the front radar).

 

You can have front assist without ACC though... As I have it. The location of the sensor moved on the facelift but I believe you can still have it independently of ACC.

Edited 3 September, 2019 by ahenners

[wyx087]

Is there an assist button on the steering wheel on FL cars? Press it and it will tell you and allow you to turn it off.

[SashaGrace]

Check in the driver assistance settings on the radio, will tell you there.

[nbramwel]

On my previous Fabia, I had standard cruise control and Front Assist.  As far as I know, I could not disable the Front Assist although I never tried to.  

 

Had a look in the Car, Settings, Driver Assistance on the Octavia radio.  Only 1 entry for 'Driver Alert System' which is showing as active although I can untick the checkbox.  Pressed what I think is the Assist button on the steering wheel and it says 'No Assistance Menus Available'.  Does anyone know whether I have Front Assist or not?  Thank you. 

[SashaGrace]

Sounds like you don’t. If it’s not there in that menu it doesn’t have it. Afaik it’s standard on the SE Tech and above. The SE doesn’t have it unlike the Fabia which is curious. Only way to know 100% is to check it against the VIN. You can turn front assist off btw.

[Neolithian]

2 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

If you have standard cruise control, not adaptive cruise control (ACC) then there is no front radar (which is essential for ACC) and hence no front assist (which requires the front radar).

I had front assist and normal cruise control on my 16 plate SEL

[TDIum]

My MY20 has no front assist and old-style cruise control but it does have a radar sensor. It's only for safety though. You get a warning when it detects (usually a false alarm) a front impact could be about to happen. You can turn it off temporarily.

[nbramwel]

Isn't that what Front Assist is?

[PetrolDave]

25 minutes ago, nbramwel said:

Isn't that what Front Assist is?

Skoda Front Assist

[benterrier]

2 hours ago, TDIum said:

My MY20 has no front assist and old-style cruise control but it does have a radar sensor. It's only for safety though. You get a warning when it detects (usually a false alarm) a front impact could be about to happen. You can turn it off temporarily.

Think this is what I've got, have seen the warning come up a couple of times when i've over taken a car in front with limited road and have been in close proximity of the car I'm overtaking. Don't see any point in it, in fact it's a distraction. 

[Mr Statto]

23 minutes ago, benterrier said:

Think this is what I've got, have seen the warning come up a couple of times when i've over taken a car in front with limited road and have been in close proximity of the car I'm overtaking. Don't see any point in it, in fact it's a distraction. 

 

It may occasionally be a distraction, but it will also apply the brakes if a collision is imminent - I've had this happen once, and I was very glad of it!

[nbramwel]

Well I am surprised.  I rang my insurance company to tell them I had made a mistake when I declared the car had Front Assist when I insured it in August.  I explained it was a genuine mistake and that the dealer had told me the car did have it when, in fact, it does not.

 

I fully expected an increase in my premium but the insurance company actually reduced it by £8 or so.  They thought that repair costs would be cheaper on a car without Front Assist in the event of an accident.  So the manufacturer installs a safety feature and the insurance industry increases your premium as a result.  Stupid or what?  I just despair at how the motor trade and insurance companies operate.

[benterrier]

4 hours ago, Mr Statto said:

 

It may occasionally be a distraction, but it will also apply the brakes if a collision is imminent - I've had this happen once, and I was very glad of it!

I've never experienced any breaking. Obviously don't want to go tearing into the boot of another car, so how can it be tested.

 

How close to the other vehicle do you have to be before it works as you say this happened once to you.

[TDIum]

I didn't know what it was when the car was new. I thought it was having a panic attack. 

[ahenners]

On 04/09/2019 at 16:00, benterrier said:

I've never experienced any breaking. Obviously don't want to go tearing into the boot of another car, so how can it be tested.

 

How close to the other vehicle do you have to be before it works as you say this happened once to you.

 

Not actually that close. It's more the fact it senses you rapidly closing in on the other car within a few car lengths distance as opposed to being centimetres off.

[PetrolDave]

1 minute ago, ahenners said:

Not actually that close. It's more the fact it senses you rapidly closing in on the other car within a few car lengths distance as opposed to being centimetres off.

+1

 

The only downside I've found is that it can also trigger when the car in front of you is turning off using a narrow slip lane, but tapping the brake pedal or pressing a button of the MFSW cancels it if you believe it's a false alarm.