IQ.DRIVE
Everything you need to know about our advanced driver assistance systems
Always watching out for your safety
The IQ.DRIVE range of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are always quietly working away to keep Volkswagen drivers safe on the road. To get the most out of these smart technologies, it helps to understand exactly how they think and react.
Below you’ll find a few of the assist systems you might come across in your Volkswagen. You’ll learn more about how they work and behave, what triggers each system and what to do should they be mistakenly activated. Because sometimes the systems err on the side of safety and can react overly cautiously to situations.
This guide is designed to help you navigate any problems with confidence.
Driving assistance
Stop when necessary
Emergency Assist monitors your steering wheel activity. If the system notices long periods without driver input, it will try to reactivate you with acoustic warnings and braking jolts. If the driver seems unresponsive after numerous alerts, the car will be brought to a controlled stop.
Accident prevention
Preventing forward collisions
Front Assist is an autonomous emergency braking system that supports you at low and high speeds. The emergency braking assistant "Front Assist" with pedestrian and cyclist detection can warn you of potential accidents with other road users and, if necessary, automatically apply emergency braking if a collision is imminent.
Parking assistance
Park in any spot
Parking can be a daunting and tedious task for many drivers. Our Park Assist is designed to alleviate this stress by locating the ideal spot regardless of your location. How does it work? Its intelligent sensors assesses whether a park space is sufficient as you drive by and handles the maneuvering on your behalf. With just a button press, it guides your vehicle into parallel and right-angle spaces while you manage the pedals. Taking it a step further, the new Touareg offers Park Assist Plus, which not only identifies suitable parking spots but also takes control of your acceleration and braking, allowing you to focus on navigating via the infotainment system.
Understanding how radar sensors and cameras work
Our driver assistance systems do their best to support you on your drive, but occasionally they can react unexpectedly to certain weather, road and driving conditions. In these circumstances you can experience either delays with the system, or find they’re not operating.
Let us explain the common causes of these problems, so you’re prepared should it happen and it is understood why the system isn’t functioning at its usual high standards.
Driver assist systems that use sensors
Driving conditions and situations that can adversely affect radar sensors:
- Poor weather conditions like heavy rain, snow or heavy spray.
- Driving through roadworks, tunnels, toll stations and multi-storey carparks.
- Roads with loose chippings and embedded metal objects, like railway tracks.
- Driving offroad and on winding roads, over crests or through dips.
- Complex driving situations, like roundabouts or traffic islands.
- After external force on components in the area of the radar sensors, like a rear-end collision.
- If the radar sensors are covered, dirty, displaced or damaged.
Driver assist systems that use the camera behind the windscreen
Similarly, camera systems can also react unexpectedly in the following driving conditions and situations:
- Driving offroad, over crests or through roadworks or dips.
- Poor weather conditions, like heavy rain, snow, fog or heavy spray, and on poor roads.
- Driving when the sun is low in the sky, in darkness, or with glare from oncoming vehicles.
- The camera may become temporarily unavailable after prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or high ambient temperatures.
- If the camera window is covered, dirty or damaged.
- If the camera has been displaced.
FAQs
How do I override the manoeuvre braking function in my Volkswagen?
How do I override Emergency Assist in my Volkswagen?
Is Emergency Assist always switched on?
Why did my vehicle autonomously brake when there was no obstruction?
