clever companions TOP GEAR By Sabrina Künz Illustration KircherBurkhardt Infografik courtesy of Volkswagen Magazin Germany

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Sabina Kathryn Bradley
7 years ago
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1 TOP GEAR clever companions Integrated with systems such as highly advanced sensors, a multi-collision brake and even headlight control a lot happens in the New Golf to make sure nothing happens. Cutting-edge driver assistance systems protect the car s occupants and they also help drivers in areas such as parallel parking. Here is an overview of how the individual features on the New Golf enhance safety and comfort By Sabrina Künz Illustration KircherBurkhardt Infografik courtesy of Volkswagen Magazin Germany The function partially dips the headlights high beam control light assist. This function analyses traffic ahead and oncoming traffic, via a camera in the windscreen and automatically controls activation and deactivation of the main light beam (from 60km/h). This keeps the drivers of surrounding cars from being blinded. Volkswagen 25

2 multi-collision brake. Standard in the New Golf, the multi-collision brake feature is designed to moderate or entirely prevent secondary collisions immediately after accidents. For example: a car collides with a crash barrier, then rebounds from it, and rolls onto the oncoming carriageway. Here is where the system comes into play. Activated by sensors such as those on the airbag, the system initiates braking, down to a pre-specified residual speed of 10 km/h. This ground-breaking safety feature received the coveted Yellow Angel award in 2012 from the ADAC (Allgemeine Deutsche Automobil-Club) in the Environment and Innovation category. With the multi-collision brake: the car decelerates Without the multi-collision brake: the car keeps rolling 26 Volkswagen

3 success story. A cold winter s day in New York in 1902 was the scene where the story of driver assistance systems began. Mary Anderson was a passenger on a tram. She was freezing, because the windshield was open to allow the driver to wipe away the snow for a clear view. Back in the warmth of her home, she developed a wiper that could be operated from inside the tram. Mary s manually-operated windshield wiper was the beginning of driver assistance systems. Her invention proved successful as it fulfilled the two most important criteria still used when developing driver assistance systems today: they increased the safety and comfort of the driver and passengers. More than a century later, the technologies have become considerably more complex. The ABS anti-lock braking system marked the dawn of a new era. When Volkswagen installed this system for the first time in a standard-series passenger car around 25 years ago, many people considered the technology to be an unnecessary triviality. Opinions have changed completely since then. Driver assistance systems are now included in cars as naturally as the drive system itself. In Germany, for example, 99 out of 100 new cars go out onto the roads with ABS fitted, and nearly half have automatic windshield wipers with rain sensors. One out of every four vehicles has bend lighting. These systems make our vehicles ever more intelligent. In addition to passive safety features such as safety belts, a rigid car body structure with built in crumple zones and airbags, in the New Golf, drivers can now rely to a greater degree on sophisticated electronic assistance systems that help to fatigue detection. This feature registers deviations from normal driving behaviour, such as a stiffly held steering wheel or sharp turning angles. When signs of fatigue are detected, this standard-feature system (together with cruise control at Comfortline and above) sends visual and acoustic signals recommending that the driver take a break. Not available in the New Golf but will be a standard feature on the New Golf GTI. Volkswagen 27

4 anticipate potential accidents and reduce the seriousness of emergency situations. In addition to safety-oriented assistance systems, comfort also plays a major role in the New Golf. Park Assist, Park Pilot, and fatigue detection reduce stress and make driving even more enjoyable. Despite the New Golf s technical sophistication, the following basic principle remains unchanged: no system can take away control over the vehicle, and the driver can intervene at any time and override the assistance. This principle will guide future technology as well, even when a highly developed sensor system enables cars to see around corners at intersections (currently being researched by Volkswagen). Technology pioneer Mary Anderson would surely have been impressed by all these developments. Golf: Fuel consumption in l/100 km: 6.6 to 4.6 (urban), 4.5 to 3.3 (motorway), 5.2 to 3.8 (combined), CO 2 emissions in g/km: 122 to 99 (combined) 28 Volkswagen

5 park assist. With Park Assist drivers can slip into parallel and perpendicular parking spots with absolute ease. Ultrasound sensors first determine a suitably large parking space. From the start position, this optional system then steers the car automatically into the space. The driver only has to operate the accelerator and the brake. Park Assist also effortlessly manages the task of manoeuvring out of parking spaces. Volkswagen 29

VIAVISION. Intelligent Driving NO 03. April 2012. The Car with an Independent Mind. ¼ of a second. 99 out of 1oo new cars

VIAVISION. Intelligent Driving NO 03. April 2012. The Car with an Independent Mind. ¼ of a second. 99 out of 1oo new cars VOLKSWAGEN GROUP NO 03 April 2012 SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY Editorial Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg 2 Clever Companions Safety and Comfort on the Road 2 Connected When Cars Learn to Communicate 6 Vision of