Front Assist is unreliable

[eddleetham]

Does anyone else find Front Assist either annoying or useless?

 

Occasionally I get a Front Assist warning on the dash in big red symbols, but the cause of the warning is the presence of a vehicle ahead of me that is causing any danger.  Usually it to either the left or right of my driving path.  But I recently was in a situation where it was needed but did not activate.  I was approaching a roundabout and expected the car ahead of me to pull away, but it didn't.  I braked heavily but couldn't stop in time and we had a slight bump.  So the Front Assist didn't activate and neither did the emergency braking.  I thought that if you tried to brake hard then the car would help by applying the brakes really hard.  It certainly does that when I'm in reverse and the car comes to a sudden stop if I am approaching a bush.  Is it not supposed to do the same when in forward gear?

 

I thought that with all the new technology and sensors now built in that a low speed collision was impossible.  Not so, it seems.

[KenONeill]

There are masses of comments to this general effect, mostly in the Octavia 3 and 4 fora.

[Grisnardo]

Disregard I saw " Lane assist " 😅

Save yourself time and stress, turn this gadget off as soon as your turn the car on.

Start and stop -> OFF
Lane Assist -> OFF

 

Happy days !

Edited 7 April, 2022 by Grisnardo

[eddleetham]

I already turn Lane Assist off as it annoys me, as well as being dangerous.  On the other hand, I actually like the engine to switch off when I'm stationary.  It saves fuel and it makes the car interior nice and quiet.  The slight delay when starting  off again doesn't bother me.  However neither of these suggestions are related to Front Assist.

 

I have checked on Front Assist topics in the Octavia fora, but there don't seem to any recent ones.

[Warrior193]

IIrc, front assist is active only above a certain speed. I will try a search on what that minimum speed is.

[Warrior193]

I checked for the Octavia - front assist is active provided - System not disabled; TCS is enabled; Vehicle is travelling forward at more than approx. 5KPH; No more than one brake light has failed. It will not trigger for object crossing front of vehicle. 

Unlikely that Kamiq is significantly different.

[eddleetham]

Interesting.  What is TCS please?  And why does it not trigger for something crossing in front?

 

I thought that Skoda/VAG boasted that their cars are now so clever that it was virtually impossible to collide with a person or vehicle at a low speed.

[Warrior193]

50 minutes ago, eddleetham said:

Interesting.  What is TCS please?  And why does it not trigger for something crossing in front?

 

I thought that Skoda/VAG boasted that their cars are now so clever that it was virtually impossible to collide with a person or vehicle at a low speed.

Traction Control System, it may be called something else on the Kamiq. Not sure why not triggered for objects crossing the front - but that's what the manual states. 

[carefree]

Every car I’ve ever had since ‘lane assist’ was invented has had this option deactivated.  Absolutely crap.  Anyone who relies on this technology doesn’t deserve to hold a driving licence.  At best it’s bordering pointless, at worst it’s bloody dangerous.

Edited 9 April, 2022 by carefree

[Seasider]

TCS is used to control wheelspin and is part of the ABS system. 

 

Front assist works up to 30kph according to the video here:

 

 

It's certainly worked for me on a couple of occasions.

 

Maybe distance settings for the activation of the system affect response.

 

But in any case, the system is there to support the driver, not take his/her place.

I

[Ootohere]

The reason 'TCS Enabled' might be mentioned is because some might 'disable TCS' as when suggested in the owners manual. 

That is getting unstuck in Snow or when Snow Chains are fitted. 

 

That is if they are using TCS as it always was, Traction Control, ASR Anti Slip Regulation, and using the XDS / XDS+ as has been for a good few years now and nipping a front brake on a spinning wheel. 

Edited 10 April, 2022 by roottoot

[skoda1982]

You can set the time it reacts in settings Early Medium and Late set to late and the problems you have should go. It only works at above a certain speed got this out of the manual

• The driving speed is higher than 5 km/h.

rear sensor are different they will slam the brake on if you keep moving after the single tone as soon as single tone you are 30cm 1ft away. 

Edited 10 April, 2022 by skoda1982