How to test/confirm that city emergency braking is working

How to test/confirm that city emergency braking is working

Author
Discussion

f1wade

Original Poster:

8 posts

158 months

Monday 18th December 2017
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Can anyone tell me how to test /confirm that the city emergency braking is on and working on my vw golf estate 2014?

I have driven along getting close to cars in front but it never said anything, I never got too close that I didnt feel I could stop the car, which maybe why it never engaged, but how do I properly test it?

scotlandtim

320 posts

129 months

Monday 18th December 2017
quotequote all
Use the wall test.

It's a combination city brake / airbag test:

1 - Drive at 40 mph towards brick wall
2 - 10m from wall apply brakes
3 - If car stops before wall - city brakes work (airbag state remains unknown)
4 - If car doesn't stop before wall - city brakes don't work - scenario 1 - Airbag deployed = airbag works. Scenario 2 - Airbag not deployed = airbag faulty.

If scenario 2 - try increasing speed to 50 mph and braking distance to 5m = scenario 3 - Airbag deployed = airbag works. Scenario 4 - Airbag not deployed = airbag faulty.

Once airbag status confirmed, assume city brakes not working - buy new car in hope that one works - repeat test until happy.....

gmaz

4,415 posts

211 months

Monday 18th December 2017
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Drive at a big empty cardboard box?

cptsideways

13,553 posts

253 months

Monday 18th December 2017
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Depends what car?


Laser/Lidar Conti system or radar eg VAG?

Laser: Broom & a tabbard yellow jacket, get someone to hold it out in front of the car just above the bonnet. Will work 99% of the time, just keep your feet off the pedals.

Radar: You need something metallic to the do the same

super7

1,939 posts

209 months

Monday 18th December 2017
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Pulling into a car parking space rapidly at work with a hedge in front proved mine worked....

It's quite violent if you haven't experienced it before and I didn't know what it was to start with until I realised it was the emergency braking. Then it becomes a game as to how fast you can drive at a hedge before going through it :-)

cptsideways

13,553 posts

253 months

Tuesday 19th December 2017
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In case anybody is wondering, the Laser/Lidar system is usually far more reliable & way more accurate than the radar systems. Having demonstrated, tested & used a multitude of systems many thousands of times over since their inception there is a really huge difference, in accuracy, reliability & repeat ability.

Just don't be testing your radar based one underneath any airport runway approach zones, they tend not to work very well if at all in a radar laden environment ! In my experience hehe

Buggyjam

539 posts

80 months

Tuesday 19th December 2017
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f1wade said:
I have driven along getting close to cars in front but it never said anything, I never got too close that I didnt feel I could stop the car, which maybe why it never engaged, but how do I properly test it?
Maybe it’s calling your bluff? It’s making a mug of you.Show it who’s boss and drive it straight at a wall.