Audi Pre Sense failed to work

[Tony H]

Has anyone else had a situation where the Audi Pre Sense has failed to activate and brake the vehicle?
My son was driving my 2017 A3 1.4 Sportback and in a stop start pull away ran into the vehicle in front of him at 18km/hr.
Audi has claimed as he had his foot on the accelerator that he was then overriding the system and it could not brake and stop the car!
I would have expected this safety system to have stopped a simple stop start bumper bashing? And not have allowed him to hit the vehicle in front with no intervention at all!
I’ll try and upload the video form the dash cam to a site and link it
Cheers
Tony

 

[Goner]

Has anyone else had a situation where the Audi Pre Sense has failed to activate and brake the vehicle?
My son was driving my 2017 A3 1.4 Sportback and in a stop start pull away ran into the vehicle in front of him at 18km/hr.
Audi has claimed as he had his foot on the accelerator that he was then overriding the system and it could not brake and stop the car!
I would have expected this safety system to have stopped a simple stop start bumper bashing? And not have allowed him to hit the vehicle in front with no intervention at all!
I’ll try and upload the video form the dash cam to a site and link it
Cheers
Tony

I've always found it to be hit and miss.

You can't rely on it nor should you rely on it.

Mines set to 'early'.. i can be driving on an empty road on a summers day and it will still bong at me (doesn't brake though, most of the time anyway), i've had it brake the car to a complete standstill with nothing in front of me, i can only think that the shadows from the hedges and the hedge over hang sent it wild.. if someone had of been behind me they'd of smashed into the back of me.

Having said the above though it has worked and worked well on the motorway when some halfwit cuts up a car a few cars in front forcing everyone else behind to brake hard.

 

[KenL]

Sorry but I don't think the car can be blaimed in a situation like this.

Insurance companies will see your son as being at fault in this accident.

 

[Tony H]

Sorry but I don't think the car can be blaimed in a situation like this.

Insurance companies will see your son as being at fault in this accident.

I’m not saying he is not to blame,
But what I am saying is Audi makes very clear claims on their web portal and for that I’d expect it to behave as claimed. If ****** big Toyota Landcrusier stops in front of me that it would see it and act as programmed and if the system has limitations to be made aware of them.
Mine was and still is set to true most sensitive setting

 

[Tony H]

I've always found it to be hit and miss.

You can't rely on it nor should you rely on it.

Mines set to 'early'.. i can be driving on an empty road on a summers day and it will still bong at me (doesn't brake though, most of the time anyway), i've had it brake the car to a complete standstill with nothing in front of me, i can only think that the shadows from the hedges and the hedge over hang sent it wild.. if someone had of been behind me they'd of smashed into the back of me.

Having said the above though it has worked and worked well on the motorway when some halfwit cuts up a car a few cars in front forcing everyone else behind to brake hard.

I’ve had it work before in start stop traffic when a vehicle pulled off and brakes suddenly, my Pre Sense braking kicked in before I could even react and stopped the car.
So yes it seems to unreliable for what it was designed and claimed to do

 

[cuke2u]

If the system detects any inputs through the controls it will assume the driver is making avoiding actions. The system cannot replace humans in anyway though...

 

[Ormesome]

It is a bit touch and go sometimes. I havent yet pinpointed or made out how exactly it works. Soemtimes it "bongs" when im in slow traffic and works perfectly,even if im accelerating, other times it works well when im even breaking but not enough. At other times, i am in exaclty the same situations and it doesnt work at all. Weird. The affect of driving and it thinking your going in to a bush is normal i think. It cant read roads, so it effectivly thinks your going in to the bushes or a parked car when youa re goign to tuen in time. This is always a complain of some on here but i personally understnad why the system acts like this.

It has saved me twice though, only from a little knock, but thats what the system is there for. Both times i slow traffic, both times i wasnt paying attention!!

The accelerating scenario is interesting, i swear i have been accelerating and it has "bonged" and warned me, but other times not.

 

[S32B]

I've had it bing at me a few times and I've thought "Why, nothing is close" I have it set to medium.
Coming out of work it's gone off 'bing' 'bing' when it thinks I'm too close to the car in front.

However, I had one occasion in the dark where it slammed the brakes on whilst I had my foot on the accelerator, it felt like someone had thrown an anchor out of the back window and sounded like the car had hit something and the side of the car was being ripped off. I even looked in my left mirror thinking I'd hit a parked trailer or something.

It turns out it had detected a woman who had pushed herself up against her car when she saw me coming, but she then leaned away and turned quickly when she saw there was plenty of room. It did look like she was about to walk across the front of me to be fair.

 

[Adam14]

Mine sometimes bongs when it detects a cyclist on a footpath, doesn't actually act though. Had it work on motorway before and both times to be fair I think it has saved me going in to the back of a car when someone has just pulled out and slammed on their brakes.

I've not had any instances where it's kicked in and I don't know why. But as others have said the system isn't there to replace you and shouldn't be relied upon to stop the car in any instance.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[musicegbdf]

I would expect there is a variable in the program . It has kicked in correctly twice for us when car in front did an emergency stop . I both cases we were driving at steady speed with light touch on accelerator .
In your sons case , if he was pulling out expect the pedal position was more in an accelerating position .
The program might then be set that he may have been accelerating to avoid d a collision.
There must be a fairly quick override to avoid lawsuits .

 

[Tony H]

Well we have escalated our complaint to Audi Australia HO to answer the limitations and when the system will and won’t work.
No salesman or even workshop manager can tell me how the system was meant to react in the video.
Two said it should have brakes and stopped the car, one said it won’t work when your foots on the accelerator pedal and another said it only works at speeds over what he was doing!
Bottom line is Audi sale and tech can’t say what it’s not going to act on or even when it should act.
Poor form from a quality brand in my opinion as I would expect them to know their own system better

 

[Tony H]

Here is the video
Excuse my sons words
Tell me if you think they system should have kicked in and braked?

 

[Adam14]

To be honest from the looks of the video there was plenty of room between your son and the car in front and the car in front didn't exactly brake late.
In terms of the Audi sense I thought you have to be over a certain speed for it? 10mph I think but could be completely wrong and if your son was accelerating as he appears to be, I wouldn't have thought it would.

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[Tony H]

I am also worried now that the system won’t work if you accelerating, but saying that it has once before kicked in when I was driving when pulling away and car in front slammed on brakes!

Bottom line for me is to know why is did not react or give a warning even.
All Audi web portals say you will have it work at speeds up to at least 85km/hr should have scrubbed off a significant portion of the speed
No where do they give a limit to minimum speed it will operate from
https://www.audi-technology-portal....er-assistant-systems/audi-a4-pe-sense-city-en

 

[S32B]

But as others have said the system isn't there to replace you and shouldn't be relied upon to stop the car in any instance.

As this guy found out!

Here is the video
Excuse my sons words
Tell me if you think they system should have kicked in and braked?

As Adam says it could be a fact that he wasn't going fast enough for long enough for the system to kick in, 18k is about 11mph. It's like the door locks they only kick in once you reach a certain speed. What setting is it on? I turned mine down as it was always bleeping for something.

I feel sorry for him, as when he was stopped he had left a decent safety gap, but watching the video the car in front had braked whilst your son was still accelerating, so I assume he wasn't looking forward as the car started to break....which could be a lesson in disguise! I ran up the back of someone at a junction when I was 21 because I thought they had gone, I'd started to look right and pull forward. However, they had only moved a few feet and stopped again! so I ran right into them. Ever since that day I don't even look left or right until the car in front has 100% gone, it's saved me loads of times over the years...we learn by our mistakes.

I found this link which expalins how it works https://www.audi-technology-portal....prologue-piloted-driving_en/audi-pre-sense_en

 

[Tony H]

As this guy found out!



As Adam says it could be a fact that he wasn't going fast enough for long enough for the system to kick in, 18k is about 11mph. It's like the door locks they only kick in once you reach a certain speed. What setting is it on? I turned mine down as it was always bleeping for something.

I feel sorry for him, as when he was stopped he had left a decent safety gap, but watching the video the car in front had braked whilst your son was still accelerating, so I assume he wasn't looking forward as the car started to break....which could be a lesson in disguise! I ran up the back of someone at a junction when I was 21 because I thought they had gone, I'd started to look right and pull forward. However, they had only moved a few feet and stopped again! so I ran right into them. Ever since that day I don't even look left or right until the car in front has 100% gone, it's saved me loads of times over the years...we learn by our mistakes.

I found this link which expalins how it works https://www.audi-technology-portal....prologue-piloted-driving_en/audi-pre-sense_en

Yeah he took his eyes off the car in front and looked at the lady next to him trying to cross the road and looked forward to late

 

[Ormesome]

Looking at the video, i would say that the sensors should have picked that up. I have been in very very similar situations and heard a beep so i have been able to quickly react or the brakes have slammed on. The only thing is that your son seems to have been accelerating lightly so it really depends on the threshhold of when the sensor activates. I have accelerated towards traffic before and its beeped, but i have been further behind. Pretty sure that if i was that close to a car then it doesnt activate. Anyway, whatever the case, Audi will obviously claim that the system is there to "help" prevent acidenets and that of course the driver should be in control at all times. The system is not there to be relied upon. Your son was obviously distracted, on the phone or looking behind or to the side, and went in to the back of a car. He probably throught the car in front was continuing so accelerated.

 

[steve111b]

Anyway, whatever the case, Audi will obviously claim that the system is there to "help" prevent acidenets and that of course the driver should be in control at all times. The system is not there to be relied upon.

System characteristics with respect to "full
deceleration at speed of less than 18.4 mph

The driver is not given advance warning.
The system reacts to crossing or oncoming vehicles and
objects with low radar scatter (for example, pedestrians).
The system reacts to vehicles which are travelling in the
same direction, have stopped or are stationary.

If the driver clearly takes evasive action, accelerates or
brakes during the individual phases of Audi pre sense front
(functions A to C), the action momentarily being taken by
Audi pre sense front (for example, partial braking operation I)
will be suppressed or cancelled.
If the obstacle is no longer relevant after evasive action has
been taken, Audi pre sense front will cease to provide
assistance in this case.

And just a reminder that the above is for pre sense front, not pre sense basic. Pre sense basic is a whole other thing.

 

[Ormesome]

System characteristics with respect to "full
deceleration at speed of less than 18.4 mph

The driver is not given advance warning.
The system reacts to crossing or oncoming vehicles and
objects with low radar scatter (for example, pedestrians).
The system reacts to vehicles which are travelling in the
same direction, have stopped or are stationary.

If the driver clearly takes evasive action, accelerates or
brakes during the individual phases of Audi pre sense front
(functions A to C), the action momentarily being taken by
Audi pre sense front (for example, partial braking operation I)
will be suppressed or cancelled.
If the obstacle is no longer relevant after evasive action has
been taken, Audi pre sense front will cease to provide
assistance in this case.

And just a reminder that the above is for pre sense front, not pre sense basic. Pre sense basic is a whole other thing.

Whats that got to do with my response part you quoted??

 

[steve111b]

Whats that got to do with my response part you quoted??

I am agreeing with your observation. I think your point is more important than how the system works, so I am letting it stand before my addition. Not intending to offend.

 

[Ormesome]

I am agreeing with your observation. I think your point is more important than how the system works, so I am letting it stand before my addition. Not intending to offend.

Ah fair enough!! I get it now! is that info from Audi or your observations? 18.4pmh and below we get no advance warning? ill have to check what speed i am doing next time it beeps....

 

[steve111b]

Ah fair enough!! I get it now! is that info from Audi or your observations? 18.4pmh and below we get no advance warning? ill have to check what speed i am doing next time it beeps....

That is Audi info. Yes, there is no warning below 18 mph. Above 18 mph there can be 4 warnings, one visual, one audio, slight brake jolt, and a partial brake. Also, if one selects dynamic or ESC sport some warnings and features are disabled.

 

[Bryant1998]

Here is the video
Excuse my sons words
Tell me if you think they system should have kicked in and braked?

Personally I think the system should’ve kicked in, as far as I’m aware that’s almost exactly what’s the system is for as at low speeds it can react/brake fast enough. If you’re doing 80mph on a motorway and someone’s pulls out only doing 60mph I doubt it can react in time or at least half as well as 0-30mph.

I’d say email the footage to Audi customer service and ask them to explain why the system didn’t work.


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[AlS3BE]

Here is the video
Excuse my sons words
Tell me if you think they system should have kicked in and braked?

I’ve been keeping an eye on this thread and some other where they say these assistance systems don’t work. I’ve been looking at a new car and you can spec thousands into these so called safety systems and these videos prove they aren’t really worth it.
I would have expected something to react or beep as a bare minimum. My dash cam(f700)beeps in similar situations at me so you would think a system that Audi has put millions into would be smarter/better. Unfortunately Audi’s get out of jail card is always going to be these systems are for assistance only not full control(like autopilot on Tesla). the drivers always have the last say in control and it’s this that they have little to no liability.
Sorry not very helpful

 

[Han4mi]

I have mine turned off, it annoyed me too much when it kicked in during various situations where it wasn't needed. In the end it's the driver's responsibility to be concentrated.

 

[Flying Scotsman]

This is just not an Audi problem. I hired a brand new Volvo XC60 which had 3 faulty applications of full brakes. Once on the motorway at 70 mph plus, once on a two lane road whilst overtaking, both of those scared the s**t out of me, and once in city traffic.
These so called modern safety software driven devices can be downright dangerous, especially in inclement weather, snow, ice, etc. I prefer to be an attentive driver and in command of what I see see and feel.

 

[Tony H]

Thanks guys
I appreciate everyone’s views, on new to owning an audi and never had this type of technology before.
The bit about accelerating canceling or overriding the Pre Sense is new to me. I have Pre Sense City in my car which is one up from Pre Sense front.
So I expected it to do the braking partially at least or an audio warning!
But it did nothing for him.
I’m still awaiting Audi’s offical response to my complaint on the system and it’s limitations or restrictions at low speeds

 

[cuke2u]

Unfortunately these systems will become mandatory in a few years time, like them or loath them they will save lives. I have them fitted to my A4 and they give me no issues whatsoever...

 

[2018Q7]

Hello Tony, I am going thru the same issue with my vehicle. After numerous road test by me and the dealership, we both confirmed that the vehicle is not able to detect stationary vehicles. The owner’s manual clearly states that the car “will” assist the driver, however during road tests, the vehicle did not provide any indication that it detected the stationary vehicle. Furthermore, after testing other similar vehicles, the dealer confirmed that the all operate the same and therefor nothing is wrong with them. I am currently waiting for a response from Audi USA. Any advice for me? What was Audi’s response to your complaint?