Auto Braking too sensitive

[Lurch92]

Hi Folks,

I have a 2019 Startline with Radar and the emergency braking system. I've found in the few months I have owned the van that the Auto Braking (if thats the correct term) system is VERY sensitive, particularly to people turning off the main carriageway into a slower road.

I have had it numerous times lock the front wheels/trigger ABS at 20mph when 5 car lengths behind a vehicle that will easily clear the carriageway before I am anywhere near it. It has also done it from longer distances at 40mph and 60mph

It gives a short warning beep before absolutely anchoring it... I am now starting to worry about getting shunted from behind.

My following distance is a safe 2-3 seconds, so my driving should not trigger it.

Does anyone know what I can do to stop it from panic braking?

 

[Ayjay]

Maybe it needs recalibrating but I don’t think it’s a cheap job. Mine is also supposed to have auto breaking but in 6 years of ownership, it’s never kicked in so I’ve no idea whether it works properly or not. Given that we’re talking about a VW, I suspect it’s the latter rather than my driving though!

 

[Lurch92]

Thanks, I assume something is wrong with mine, otherwise more people would be complaining about it.

There is no way mine should be triggering at the distances it is.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I had it a couple of times when I first got my van, eek:I have the stained underwear to prove it), but once I was aware of how it misread situations I found that I adapted my driving to avoid it - usually by just using a touch of brake which let the van know I was in control. Haven't had it since. Every time it happened was when a vehicle was turning into a side road in front of me or approaching me from a side road.

 

[Rioja John]

Mine is a 2021. Startline and the auto braking has never worked on my van I even had a collision in 2021 and auto braking never operated.

 

[Sasquatch]

I have a 2021 Startline with Business Pack and the auto-braking is very abrupt. Moving at half a mile an hour to park at home it senses my garage and suddenly slams the brakes on full.

That said, on the open road it's fine. It doesn't activate inappropriately when driving.

 

[manfrotto]

Do you have settings in the Infotainment system, and if so what is your emergency braking set to on the Infotainment system?
This is what my 2022 T6.1 van is set to with no issues:


I get plenty of audible warnings but no emergency braking (so far)

 

[ginkster]

I have a 2021 Startline with Business Pack and the auto-braking is very abrupt. Moving at half a mile an hour to park at home it senses my garage and suddenly slams the brakes on full.

That said, on the open road it's fine. It doesn't activate inappropriately when driving.

That’s manoeuvre braking using the parking sensors rather than the emergency braking that is using the radar at the front. Doesn’t half make one jump though when it kicks in!

Thanks, I assume something is wrong with mine, otherwise more people would be complaining about it.

There is no way mine should be triggering at the distances it is.

Mine has sounded the warning a couple of times when a car is turning off left in front of me but not applied the brakes. I had it once apply the brakes going around a roundabout when it sensed a car just in front in the left lane of a 2 lane roundabout. It obviously thought it was turning across in front of me!

The problem with these systems is they do not anticipate or have a wide view. In the case of the turning vehicle there is a point about half way round the turn that the closing speed dramatically increases but with little crossing velocity. The system isn’t clever enough to see the way is clear for the vehicle to continue (just like some drivers!) and simply sees an object with rapidly increasing closure within the threat area hence the warning then braking if you do nothing. It’s a little subjective, what you think is fine might seem really aggressive to someone else or vice versa. It’s a case of either recognising its limitations and driving to them or if you really think there is an issue get it recalibrated by VW. There is a section in the manual that covers the limitations if I remember correctly.

 

[Lurch92]

Thanks for the feedback folks!

Having had a look, it looks like it can be recalibrated at Kwik-fit, and I’ll ask my mechanic about it.

I’m soon to facelift my van to 6.1, so I’ll wait until then to get it calibrated… I’m sure moving it will not help.

 

[Ayjay]

After somebody took out my driver side wing and headlight, I had a new bumper fitted and the radar needed recalibrating after that. I don't know whether that was simply because it was removed and refitted to the new bumper or because of the crash possibly knocking it out of whack though and wasn't interested enough to ask as the insurance company was paying. IIRC, it was around a £300 job and the body shop had to get somebody else in to do it.

 

[Lurch92]

Just an update on this.

I have just had tie-rods replaced by my mechanic. He mentioned that as my rear toe-in was massively out of whack, and this is used as a reference point for the radar, he asked “was your radar massively out of whack per-chance”.

So as a reference point, if anyone is having radar issues, double check your alignment!