Am I safe driving my 2018 Audi Q5 after it suddenly braked and the automatic drive-assist came into effect?
Asked by Gwynne
Yesterday while driving on Burwood Road, my 2018 Audi Q5 suddenly braked and the automatic drive-assist came into effect. The car jolted as if I had applied the brakes heavily, then resumed. I was amongst moving traffic and feel unsafe. Today my mechanic tested the car and reported all was well. He contacted his auto electrician who said it was a common fault with Audis and VWs as they age.
My worry is, am I safe driving it? Over the past month it has braked suddenly about four times but as I was reversing at the time, it only gave me a fright, not an unsafe moment.
Answered by CarsGuide
13 Sep 2022This is not unheard of, but it's a very dangerous thing to be happening, especially if there are other cars around. Having the car suddenly apply the brakes as if it was mid-emergency has obvious hazards, including actually causing an accident that wasn't about to happen in the first place.
Honda (to name just one manufacturer) has had a lengthy legal battle in the USA over its cars that would confuse roadside items (like rubbish bins) as a car entering from the side, and would apply the brakes suddenly as a result. But it's not just Honda, and a RAM utility we tested recently also had the habit of confusing the smallest leaf or driveway twig with a major obstacle that had to be avoided at all costs.
At its best, it's an annoying (and heart-stopping) phenomenon and at its worst, it could cause a crash. And you can't simply disengage the Autonomous Emergency Braking system as it's an integral part of the car that contributes to its safety rating.
It needs to be sorted out and made safe. That may require the whole system, including its sensors, to be examined and possibly parts replaced. But such an essential safety system demands to be working properly.
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