Audi's Q7 Boasts an Innovative and Potentially Life-Saving Safety System
Audi's new Q7 is unique in the luxury CUV segment, not only due to its bold, upscale styling and rich detailing, but
also because of its Bentley-like luxury and high-tech features.
It's one such high-tech feature that caused Germany's largest consumer magazine to award its "Innovation of the Future" prize to the Ingoldstadt-based automaker's new crossover SUV. The editorial team at Guter Rat, which translated means "Good Advice", was impressed with Audi's new Side Assist radar sensing blind spot detector, an option on the new Q7.
Side Assist uses radar to monitor blind spots inherent to almost every vehicle, and especially troublesome in tall, large SUVs. The technology also pays attention to fast-approaching vehicles to the rear of the Q7, even as far as 50 metres behind. If a vehicle is identified, LEDs light up in the appropriate side exterior mirror to warn the driver. Likewise, the system also flashes if a turn signal has been activated while another vehicle is blocking the adjacent lane - motorcyclists rejoice!
Audi isn't the first automobile manufacturer to offer blind-spot warning systems;
other carmakers from Europe and Japan have tinkered with the idea. The most prominent brand is Volvo, which offers the BLind Spot Information System (BLIS) on the European-market S60, V70, XC70 and XC90. BLIS differs from Audi's Side Assist system in that it uses two digital still cameras which constantly snap photos, which are then analyzed by an on-board computer to determine whether or not any object is in the vehicle's blind spot. Like the Audi, a warning light will illuminate to inform the driver. Audi's use of radar, as opposed to still pictures, could cure the shortcomings of Volvo's system. BLIS has a very limited scope; it only functions at road speeds greater than 10 km/h. Due to the use of still camera footage,
the system is only able to detect objects that are fairly large and bulky, so scooters, pedestrians and bicyclists won't trigger a warning. Another limitation of BLIS is that it can only detected cars and motorcycles traveling 20 km/h slower or 70 km/h faster than the vehicle's current speed, which rules out its use in urban traffic and gridlock - when a third eye is most helpful.
The Side Assist system has been selling in Europe for just over one month, with orders now totaling more than 15,000, or 25 percent of Q7 sales.
Incidentally, some additional Audi innovations include its legendary quattro
all-wheel drive system, its reliable and powerful (although now defunct) inline five-cylinder powerplant, and the ASF aluminum forming and bonding processes used in building the A2 and A8 all-aluminum space frames, plus other technologies shared with its Volkswagen AG parent-partner, such as the five-valve cylinder head used in the previous 1.8T four-cylinder, TDI diesel technology, new FSI fuel delivery used in diesels as well as new gasoline-powered engines like the 2.0T, and the list goes on.
Side Assist adds to Audi's lengthy list of breakthroughs, and by so doing not only increases safety to Q7 owners and passengers, but also benefits occupants of adjacent vehicles. For this reason it deserves Guter Rat's praise, and warrants equal attention by North American consumers.
Audi's new Q7 is unique in the luxury CUV segment, not only due to its bold, upscale styling and rich detailing, but
 |
| Germany's largest consumer magazine, Guter Rat, gave its "Innovation of the Future" award to Audi for its new Q7. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
It's one such high-tech feature that caused Germany's largest consumer magazine to award its "Innovation of the Future" prize to the Ingoldstadt-based automaker's new crossover SUV. The editorial team at Guter Rat, which translated means "Good Advice", was impressed with Audi's new Side Assist radar sensing blind spot detector, an option on the new Q7.
Side Assist uses radar to monitor blind spots inherent to almost every vehicle, and especially troublesome in tall, large SUVs. The technology also pays attention to fast-approaching vehicles to the rear of the Q7, even as far as 50 metres behind. If a vehicle is identified, LEDs light up in the appropriate side exterior mirror to warn the driver. Likewise, the system also flashes if a turn signal has been activated while another vehicle is blocking the adjacent lane - motorcyclists rejoice!
Audi isn't the first automobile manufacturer to offer blind-spot warning systems;
 |
| Audi's Side Assist system is unique in using radar to detect vehicles adjacent and behind the Q7. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
 |
| The Side Assist system has been selling in Europe for just over one month, with orders now totaling more than 15,000, or 25 percent of Q7 sales. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
The Side Assist system has been selling in Europe for just over one month, with orders now totaling more than 15,000, or 25 percent of Q7 sales.
Incidentally, some additional Audi innovations include its legendary quattro
 |
| Audi is known for revolutionary technologies, such as its legendary quattro AWD system and the ASF aluminum forming and bonding processes used in building the A2 and A8 all-aluminum space frames. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
Side Assist adds to Audi's lengthy list of breakthroughs, and by so doing not only increases safety to Q7 owners and passengers, but also benefits occupants of adjacent vehicles. For this reason it deserves Guter Rat's praise, and warrants equal attention by North American consumers.
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