Driver Assistance Systems
Press releases
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Technology in the new Touareg – Part 4: “Traffic Jam Assist” now also masters traffic jams and roadworks semi-automatically at speeds less than 55 km/h
Partly automated driving functions take comfort to an unprecedented level. The new Touareg is a ground-breaking example of this: The driver on board this luxury SUV is specifically assisted when steering, accelerating and braking by assist systems if desired. Thanks to the fusion of different systems, the Touareg can semi-automatically master irritating stop-and-go situations when “Traffic Jam Assist” is active. -
Technology in the new Touareg – Part 3: High-tech running gear with innovative roll stabilisation
The high-tech running gear in the new Touareg sets new standards for comfort and agility in the SUV segment: The most advanced version of the running gear, which is made largely of lightweight aluminium, features a combination of innovative four-corner pneumatic suspension with adaptive electronic damping control and – for the first time at Volkswagen - a completely newly developed electromechanical active roll compensation system (eAWS). The eAWS features active anti-roll bars which use electric motors and a 48-volt system to adapt instantly to the driving situation, bringing a level of agility and ride comfort that is practically unmatched by any other SUV. -
The technological highlights of the new Touareg – part 2: all-wheel steering reduces the turn radius
It sounds rather like an attempt to achieve the impossible: with the new Touareg, Volkswagen is introducing a luxury SUV onto the market that is as agile and as easy to handle as a compact car. Can that really work? It certainly can – all thanks to the newly developed all-wheel steering system. Both the front and rear wheels turn precisely in tune with the specific driving situation. This all-wheel steering is one of the reasons why the heavyweight Touareg cuts such a dash even in narrow city streets or when maneouvring. The new system also provides extra driving stability at high speeds. -
Technology highlights of the new Touareg – Part 1: Night Vision protects people and animals when driving in the dark
The new Touareg will be released onto the market packed with a range of innovations designed to help minimise dangerous situations. The new Touareg is the first Volkswagen model available with the Night Vision assist system. A thermal image camera (infrared camera) integrated at the front of the car registers infrared radiation coming from a living organism. If this camera detects people or animals, the assistant warns the driver within the limits of the system. This reduces the risk of endangering pedestrians, especially when away from well-lit city streets. -
Article series: Small helpers with big effects – Part 4 Trailer Assist – Manoeuvring a car with trailer simply, quickly and safely
Driving with a trailer is a special challenge, even for practised car drivers. Above all, reversing manoeuvres can quickly become complicated and strenuous. Volkswagen offers help in precisely these types of situations with Trailer Assist, which simplifies the manoeuvring process considerably. Regardless of whether the task involves positioning a horse trailer in front of the right horse stall at an equestrian event or a caravan at a campsite. The system handles the steering while the driver accelerates and brakes the car-trailer combination. The driving direction is adjusted using the mirror adjustment switch. Easily, quickly and safely. -
Article series: Small helpers with big effects – Part 3 Avoiding accidents thanks to Rear Traffic Alert with Blind Spot Monitor
Exiting parking spaces in reverse is a common everyday situation in road traffic. When reversing from perpendicular parking spaces, the driver often has a poor view. Another electronic helper from Volkswagen helps here: Rear Traffic Alert. Radar sensors are installed at the rear of the vehicle. They monitor the zone behind and on the sides of the vehicle to supplement the ultrasonic parking sensors. Rear Traffic Alert recognises what the driver cannot see from their seat. If the system detects another vehicle approaching in cross traffic behind the car, it warns the driver preventively of the hazardous situation. If the driver does not react, the system can automatically initiate a brake intervention. This avoids collision damages or at least reduce them. -
Article series: Small helpers with big effects – Part 2 Seeing all around the car and manoeuvring safely with Area View and Rear View
A good all-round view is a prerequisite for safe parking. In parking situations, in particular, it is often difficult for drivers to get a comprehensive view around their entire vehicle. A small helper that produces big effects in such situations is Area View. A total of four cameras – installed at the rear, in the exterior mirrors and in the radiator grille – acquire images of the entire surroundings and project a live image in the cockpit display from a birds eye perspective. Other views can be shown according to the specific traffic situation and the purpose. This makes it easy to recognise potential obstacles in a timely way. -
Article series: Small helpers with big effects – Part 1 Simple and safe: Volkswagen simplifies parking
The everyday search for parking places takes a toll on time and nerves. When an available parking place is sighted, Volkswagen has been assisting drivers for around 20 years by implementing a parking process that incurs the least possible stress. That is because available assistance systems have been continuously improved over the years. The acoustic warning followed visual assistance. Twelve years ago, Volkswagen was the world's first carmaker to offer a parking assistant with automatic steering. In the latest generation, a Volkswagen can be made to steer into the smallest of parking spaces, either longitudinal or perpendicular, and it automatically brakes in an emergency situation. However, today’s Park Assist is only one of many different systems which can be found in Volkswagen models for assisting drivers in parking. -
The new Arteon receives top mark of 5 stars in the Euro NCAP
With top marks for the new Arteon, Volkswagen has again achieved outstanding results in the latest Euro NCAP crash test series. The independent European consumer protection organisation gave Volkswagen's new fastback model its highest rating of five stars. The rating recognises not only the new Arteon's occupant protection for adults and children, but also its driver assistance systems fitted as standard and its performance in the area of 'Pedestrian protection'. According to Euro NCAP, the Arteon became the highest scoring executive vehicle for pedestrian protection to date thanks in part to the emergency braking function that is also fitted as standard. -
The New Volkswagen Arteon Innovative assistance systems in detail – part 4 "Active Lighting System"
They are fractions of a second which matter at night: a section of country road that has many bends, a bend in a residential area with poor road lighting – and there might be an obstacle in the dark somewhere on the road. The Arteon is the first Volkswagen to offer a dynamic cornering light with new predictive control functionality. The LED dual headlights illuminate the upcoming bend up to two seconds sooner before the vehicle is even steered into it. The Arteon's new lighting system develops these 'clairvoyant' powers by networking with the front camera and the navigation system. -
The new Volkswagen Arteon Innovative assistance systems in detail – part 3: "Adaptive cruise control ACC" looks ahead
The Arteon is a gran turismo, ideal for long distances. The new, optionally available "adaptive cruise control ACC" with predictive speed control gives enhanced comfort over long distances. The further developments in "ACC" can integrate speed limits for the first time. So far, the assistance system was known purely as cruise control: adjust the desired speed, that's all. Within system limits, "adaptive cruise control ACC" can take over braking and acceleration. So far, so good. However, anyone who has ever driven a car with "ACC" will have wished that the system could "think" and also take into account bends and speed limits, thus adding even more comfort. The Arteon is the first Volkswagen to do just that: within system limits, it reacts to bends and speed limits and integrates them into the adaptive speed control. -
The New Volkswagen Arteon Innovative driver assistance systems in detail – part 2: 'Pre-Crash proactive occupant protection system'
It's a scenario that no one wishes for: traffic lights on red, a look in the rear-view mirror, the vehicle behind is approaching much too fast – a rear-end crash is looming. In such situations, the new, optional 'Pre-Crash occupant protection system' in the Arteon now provides assistance to the limit of its capabilities. For the first time, the Pre-Crash sensors are able to react not only to processes relating to driving dynamics (detected by functions such as the ESC) and to acute risks of collision from the front (registered by Front Assist), but also to hazards at the rear. For this the system uses data from Side Assist. Within fractions of a second it is able to initiate measures to lessen wherever possible the consequences of any accident. -
The new Volkswagen Arteon Innovative driver assistance systems in detail – part 1: Emergency Assist – automatic help in emergencies
'Autonomous driving' – a term currently generating more animated discussion than almost any other in the automotive world. It fascinates and polarises in equal measure. The fact is: automated driving functions increase comfort and often safety as well. The new Arteon is therefore fitted with more driver assistance systems than any Volkswagen before. These systems are interconnected with each other, as it is the interaction of their sensors and computers that actually makes autonomous driving functions possible. Through the fusion of four driver assistance systems, the Arteon possesses a form of technology that in many circumstances can help to prevent serious accidents: Emergency Assist 2.0. As soon as the sensors of the avant-garde gran turismo notice that the driver has become incapacitated, the Arteon takes over the proverbial helm. Within the bounds of its system capabilities, it warns other road users and automatically steers to the nearside lane, where it stops. -
Sharan available with new top-of-the-range engine and 4Motion drive
Powerful, popular and extremely practical: The Sharan can now be ordered with a new engine and gearbox combination, which makes it an ideal leisure and towing vehicle. In conjunction with 4Motion all-wheel drive and a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG), the engine with 184 PS (135 kW)1, mainly known from the Golf GTD, provides the perfect combination of sportiness and efficiency. This engine and gearbox combination is also available on the special Allstar model and as well as special equipment specifications comes with a five-year warranty. -
A navigation system that learns: "Regular Routes" makes driving more relaxing
In order to make things easier for commuters, Volkswagen has developed a learning-enabled navigation feature known as Regular Routes. The great thing about the system is that it automatically "memorises" regularly driven routes (e.g. to work) and then scans them to see if there are any traffic disturbances. If a jam has been identified along the route, the navigation system will automatically select an alternate route even when in the inactive mode. So, how much does it cost? Nothing, actually, since the latest generation of the Discover Media and Discover Pro radio-navigation systems from Volkswagen come with Regular Routes as a standard feature. -
Mobileye and Volkswagen form strategic partnership
Volkswagen is entering into a strategic partnership with Mobileye, a technology leader in the area of automated image processing. The companies signed a letter of intent to this effect today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The central focus of the joint venture is camera-based real-time image processing technology which – in conjunction with highly precise digitalized maps - is the key to autonomous driving. -
UR:BAN research initiative: Urban traffic of the future will feature intelligent vehicles
Today, in Düsseldorf, the UR:BAN research initiative (Urban Space: user-friendly assistance systems and network management) is presenting the results of its four years of work. Together with 30 partners, Volkswagen Group Research is making presentations on its intelligent and cooperative driver assistance systems for the transportation of tomorrow. In the future, they will offer drivers safer, stress-free and quick trips in the complex urban transportation environment. The two-day event will give the around 300 visitors an opportunity to learn about and experience the latest technologies and systems in direct interaction with experts. -
UR:BAN research initiative presents innovative driver assistance systems of tomorrow
The UR:BAN research initiative (UR:BAN = Urban space: user-friendly assistance systems and network management) presented its interim half-time results this morning in a presentation in Braunschweig. Together with its 30 partners, Volkswagen Group Research is there to present intelligent and cooperative driver assistance systems for future transportation which will enable safe, stress-free and rapid driving in complex urban traffic.
Basic Infos
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The new Polo GTI – Driving presentation
First Polo GTI to feature so many driver assistance systems First Polo GTI with the option of fully digital instruments -
Volkswagen News International CES Asia
Golf R Touch: cockpit concept solves future challenges Connected Golf: perfect compatibility with MirrorLinkTM, AppleTM and GoogleTM Intelligent Charge: e-Golf automatically docks above inductive charging plate Trained Parking: future Park Assist drives into garage semi-automatically -
Volkswagen News CES – Consumer Electronics Show
"The two inventions of the century, the car and the computer, are gradually converging. We need to design future mobility to be even more intelligent and networked." Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO Volkswagen AG