New Audi A8 to Have Bosch Emergency Braking System

Keeping the promise made late last year, Bosch confirmed yesterday its automatic emergency braking system is going into series production for the first time in the new Audi A8. The system is meant to support drivers avoid a rear-end collision and is based on the ESP and the LRR3 long-range radar sensors of the ACC adaptive cruise control system, which are complemented by a video sensor.

“Roughly 80 percent of drivers do not hit the brakes at all before a rear-end collision, or do not use the car's full braking capacity,” said Werner Struth, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division.

According to Bosch, of all the accidents involving injury and fatalities in Germany, 15 percent are rear-end collisions. Aside from the Bosch brake control system, the Audi A8 features two long-range radar sensors, which are housed at the left and right of the front bumper.

These three sensors can detect objects within a beam width of approximately 40 degrees at a distance of up to 250 metres, and can determine their position and speed. The video camera is positioned behind the front windscreen, at the same height as the rear-view mirror.

First, the system detects a potential obstacle and if the driver does not react, and the vehicle gets closer, an acoustic warning is given, followed by automatic partial braking. If the driver still does not react, and if a collision can no longer be prevented, the system brakes automatically at maximum pressure.

Other Bosch components to be featured in the new A8 include the instrument cluster, the control unit and sensors for the passenger restraint system: a domain control unit: the starter, and the wiper drive.