Press Release
New Technologies
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ABSplus Shortens Braking Distance by Up to 20 Percent Off-Road
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Front Scan and Side Scan monitor spaces ahead of, behind and next to Touareg
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Driving dynamics package with roll compensation makes the Touareg even sportier
The 2007 Touareg, equipped with more than 2,300 newly developed parts, was modified intensively in many areas. The extent of this model makeover becomes especially clear when its numerous fully new technologies are considered. For example, the new Touareg is the first SUV to have the Volkswagen developed ABSplus system as standard equipment.
ABSplus.
This system can reduce the braking distance of the Touareg on loose surfaces by up to 20 percent! Examples: Gravel or sand. Thanks to the innovative anti-slip control of ABSplus the Touareg pushes pieces of the road surface material in front of the wheels that are briefly blocking. This produces a type of braking wedge. The result: Braking force is significantly boosted – without negative effects on steerability – and braking distance is reduced accordingly.
With the new system it is possible to use off-road ABS functionality automatically, both in Low Gear mode (off-road driving with low gear ratios) and in High Gear mode (faster on-road driving). Until now off-road ABS was only available in the low-gear range with significantly lower performance. To reduce braking distance on a loose surface the ABS must recognize its composition and independently select the optimal control strategy via ESP sensors – and this is highly complex. Loose surfaces exhibit a friction value in the range µ = 0.4 to µ = 0.65. On these loose surfaces the maximum deceleration is achieved at 100 percent braking slip (blocked wheels). But blocked wheels severely impair steerability. That is where ABSplus intervenes: Besides large slip, it repeatedly permits phases of low slip (brief blocking); this results in an optimal balance of braking distance and braking stability, because a wedge of loose material builds up in front of the repeatedly and briefly blocked wheel, and as a braking wedge it significantly reinforces the braking effect and reduces braking distance accordingly.
Automatic Cruise Control ACC.
As an option the Touareg can be equipped with the latest generation of Automatic Cruise Control (ACC). When ACC is activated it automatically brakes (to a complete stop if necessary) and accelerates the SUV within a speed range preset by a driver. Of course, system-based as well as legal limitations apply to this process; therefore a request* to the driver may be made by visual and audible warnings. This much is certain: Automatic Distance Control ACC lightens the driver’s work by active braking and acceleration. And this enhances ride comfort – especially during long expressway drives. At the same time it prevents the distance from dropping below the legally prescribed minimum safe distance.
ACC is operated by specific control buttons on the multifunctional steering wheel. And this type of operation is identical to operation of the speed control system (GRA). ACC can be activated in the speed range between 30 and 200 km/h. The system utilizes radar to detect moving vehicles over an angle of 12 degrees and a range of up to 200 meters ahead of the Touareg. ACC is activated or deactivated by an ON/OFF button on the left side of the multifunctional steering wheel. Furthermore, all driver assistance systems including ACC can be activated or deactivated by pressing a central button on the turn signal stalk longer than one second. In addition, the ACC is temporarily deactivated as soon as the driver actuates the brake pedal.
The multifunctional display is used to display important information on Automatic Distance Control, where it can be read quickly and clearly from a screen of in the form of data and pictograms. Besides indicating the system’s activation state, it also shows the preset target speed, target and actual distance (with 7 levels of control), or an object ahead of the Volkswagen “acquired” by radar.
* = Request to the driver: In certain driving situations it may be necessary to brake manually as well, in order to maintain sufficient safe distance to the vehicle ahead or avoid colliding with it in extreme situations. If automatic distance control ACC detects that the safe distance cannot be maintained, because the deceleration the system can provide, which is legally limited to 0.4g, is inadequate, the driver intervention request is made. This is done by visual and audible warning.
Front Scan environment observation system.
No less innovative than ACC itself is the Front Scan function integrated here. Front Scan serves to prevent collisions. The system makes use of a radar sensor to monitor the distance to other vehicles in traffic ahead of the Touareg. When another vehicle is approached too closely, the system informs the driver in two stages: First visually and audibly, then with a brief braking pulse. Simultaneously the vehicle is prepared for possible hard braking by the driver. This involves an integrated Stopping Distance Reduction (AWV) system. In advance of certain situations, the system preventatively “arms” the brakes.
Side Scan lane change assistant.
Another driver assistance system being introduced for the first time in a Volkswagen in the new generation of Touareg cars is the Side Scan lane changing assistant. This system monitors areas behind and next to the Touareg via radar sensors in the rear bumper (one sensor each areas to the right and left of the vehicle) and signals a potential collision by a warning light in the outside mirror housing. The sensor monitoring range covers a distance of about 50 meters behind the Touareg and 3.60 meters next to the vehicle.
If Side Scan detects a critical situation to the left or right of the Touareg, without the driver having activated the turn signal to indicate a lane change, the warning lamp in the mirror housing is lit to indicate the special traffic situation. But if the driver signals a turn while the adjacent lane is occupied, the lamp quickly flashes four times to draw attention to the potential hazard. The brightness of the warning lamps can be adjusted in five stages from the multifunctional display. Interesting networking of systems: Calculated values of momentary ambient light from the sensor for rain and light detection automatically flows into the calculation of lamp brightness.
Two ECUs are responsible for Side Scan functionality. One of them (Master) takes the lead. The Master ECU and the right radar sensor form a unit, while the second ECU (Slave) is associated with the left sensor. In their construction, the Master and Slave ECUs are identical. They are each based on an electronic PC-board with a digital signal processor as the central processor. One of its tasks is to acquire and track objects by means of sensors. The ECUs themselves are located in the rear bumper, on the right and left, i.e. in the immediate vicinity of the radar sensors. By the way, radar stands for “Radio Detection And Ranging” – target detection and target ranging by electromagnetic waves.
Rearview camera.
Another optional system covers the space behind the Touareg in ranging: The rearview camera. This wide-angle camera is located on the rear hatch to upper right of the license plate, and it transmits a real-time image to the navigation system display. This makes it easy to recognize even small obstacles in the displayed area below normal visual limits. To make the ranging process easier the vehicle direction selected by steering input is also shown in the display. When a trailer hitch is installed the camera’s image covers the hitch ball, and this makes accurate approach to the trailer’s drawbar easier.
ESP innovations.
The ESP electronic stabilization program has new functions. Specifically, these functions now include a hydraulic instead of pneumatic Braking Assistant, preventative brake pressure buildup in response to sudden release of the gas pedal, Active Rollover Protection (ARP) to improve rollover stability, ESP dry braking function, Fading Brake Support (supplemental pressure boost optimizes strong follow-up brake activations) and Understeer Control Logic (improves behavior when steering into corners with understeering).
Details of ESP dry braking function.
A new ESP feature is the so-called dry braking function. It optimizes active safety in wet, stormy conditions. The brake linings are repeatedly engaged lightly at specific intervals. This “wipes away” the water film that can potentially form when the roadway is wet, thereby reducing braking distance.
Roll-over sensor.
In the area of passive safety a new roll-over sensor has been added to acquire the vehicle’s roll angle and roll angle rates. It determines whether the vehicle is entering a rollover situation. The sensor data and computed parameters of the accelerometers found on every Volkswagen are inputs to the airbag control module. The data are compared and processed there, and if risk of rollover is found the belt tensioners and head airbags are automatically activated to reduce the risk of injury.
Driving dynamics package with adaptive roll compensation.
On the one hand, the Touareg can master harsh off-road duty and extreme tours, but at the same time it offers the comfort of a luxury sedan and remarkable sportiness. Until now, on Touareg versions with steel suspensions it was possible to improve the car’s dynamics with an optional sport chassis. Now models with air suspension will add a sport chassis – in this case with roll compensation. The so-called driving dynamics package with roll compensation and 20 millimeter lower body adds a stiffer spring characteristic to the existing “Sport” mode of the manually and automatically controllable air suspension. This “plus” in dynamics and safety is achieved, among other things, by reinforced stabilizers, dampers controlled as a function of steering wheel movements, modified air suspension and new software. Ride comfort in the suspension’s Comfort mode equals that of versions without sport chassis. A summary of the advantages of the driving dynamics package with adaptive roll compensation:
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Significant roll compensation in cornering,
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Agile driving characteristics,
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Better vehicle stabilization in cornering.
Dynaudio sound system.
The Touareg is also high-end in the entertainment area: It is the first German SUV to offer a sound system from the Danish hi-fi specialist Dynaudio as an option. Basic specs: Superb distortion-free sound, ten high-end loudspeakers, digital 10-channel amplifier and 600 Watt output power. The sound system was specially adapted to the Touareg by Dynaudio in close cooperation with Volkswagen Individual.
Instruments.
A new, larger instrument cluster for multifunctional display, navigation and driver assistance systems provides detailed and now multicolored representation of information. The display is organized very clearly and now also shows navigational pictograms in a 3D representation. Moreover, the multifunctional display can also be used for optimal graphic implementation of new functions such as Front Scan, Side Scan, current vehicle speed (digital display) and the compass.
Mobile telephone integration.
Volkswagen is offering two different telephone integrations on the Touareg. In the first variant the mobile telephone is integrated in a suitable holder on the instrument panel. The so-called premium mobile telephone integration is used as a second variant. In this case the cell phone is located in the front of the seat center armrest. Bluetooth is used for communication between the car’s hands-free system and the mobile telephone here. Among other things the premium mobile telephone system offers the following additional functions compared to the standard system: Display of telephone book in instrument cluster, convenient user controls on the multifunctional steering wheel, function keys for information, emergency towing service as well as voice activation.
Cargo management package.
Also new on board the Touareg is the optional cargo management package. Two rails in the cargo area can be used to individually arrange tie-down straps, a telescoping rod and four sliding tie-down eyes to optimally secure pieces of cargo. Another part of the package is a cargo area mat.
Electric rear hatch.
An electrically actuated rear hatch is offered on the Touareg as a special equipment option. One way to open it is by RF remote key. The hatch is closed by pressing a button inside the vehicle or outside on the hatch. Besides offering the convenience of electric control, another benefit of the system is that the opening angle of the rear hatch is user-programmable and can be customized to the height of the Touareg user.
