ADC Sensor

[Sootchucker]

Whilst I don't actually have a problem with the looks of the ADC sensor in the lower grill of the GTI / GTD, it got me wondering as I've had a few smashed foglights in my time due to flying debris and stones, what will happen if the sensor gets hit by a stone and cracks or chips ?

Will the glass cover be replaceable or do you think it would be a complete new sensor (at mega bucks). Also, as I understand it, if the sensor is moved / replaced or the bumper taken off and replaced, then the sensor needs to be recalibrated by special equipment that only VW have.

Surely it would have been a better decision to mount the sensor higher up or even in one of the headlights like Mercedes do ?

[Hawaii-Five-O]

Whilst I don't actually have a problem with the looks of the ADC sensor in the lower grill of the GTI / GTD, it got me wondering as I've had a few smashed foglights in my time due to flying debris and stones, what will happen if the sensor gets hit by a stone and cracks or chips ?

Will the glass cover be replaceable or do you think it would be a complete new sensor (at mega bucks). Also, as I understand it, if the sensor is moved / replaced or the bumper taken off and replaced, then the sensor needs to be recalibrated by special equipment that only VW have.

Surely it would have been a better decision to mount the sensor higher up or even in one of the headlights like Mercedes do ?

Too late now. VW have presumably done extensive R&D and decided that is the best place for it. Remember its right across the range and not just a nice to have option on flagship models. So one can only deduce they've made the best choice for its placement. We'll just have to live with the consequences if it gets smashed.

Good point though. All this new tech is great to have.... until it goes wrong

[matchboy]

I agree, it seems a very strange place to put it where it will be exposed to all sorts of debris.  Someone posted in another thread about the 'cover' being made of reinforced material however if you're doing *ahem* a ton and something flies up and hits it directly its going to smash surely?!

[Bill_the_Bear]

Its a radar right?  So in real basic terms that's just two bits of metal, one to pump out an EM wave and the other to pick it up on the rebound.  Gross simplification but it should be pretty robust and no more likely to be damaged than the bumper or grill or anything else on the front.

Does it really have a glass cover?  Why can't they use plastic?  Most non-metallic materials are relatively transparent to radar, which is how all that stuff at Menwith Hill works despite being hidden.  Perhaps the glass it tougher, its beyond my area of expertise 

[GolfTi]

It does look like trouble waiting to happen.

Hopefully there will be an easily (and cheapish) replaceable cover for when the inevitable happens.

[Sootchucker]

Just found some information in the Self study manual on the Radar sensor. At least it looks like the glass piece is removable, however as it also contains a heating element, it's not going to be cheap to replace (assuming you can even purchase it on it's own) ?

"The adaptive cruise control unit J428 has been installed in the front bumper, allowing the traffic situation in front of the vehicle to be monitored. A radar sensor is integrated into the control unit. A heating device integrated into the sensor surface is used to prevent or reduce the formation of ice and snow deposits, and therefore avoid impairing the sensors vision. The heating is a  component of the radar sensor and is activated when the temperature falls below +5°C"


Golf 7 Radar by Sootchucker, on Flickr

[Bill_the_Bear]

I was intrigued by this cross section but it lacks detail.  I tried a quick google search to find something more comprehensive that would show the configuration of the transmitter/receiver and so give a clue as to if they are likely to become damaged, but I drew a blank.

However, one site pointed out that these sensors interfere with speed traps or guns using radar.  Anyone know if this is true?  Surely the fuzz operate on different frequencies otherwise they could be getting many false positives and negatives as more and more vehicles are bouncing radar around.  For that matter I wonder how the system distinguishes between a reflection of a car in front and an oncoming vehicle also fitted with a radar.    I suppose the software must discard anything with significant blue shift.

[matchboy]

I can't see it interfering with a coppers ray gun, surely that's illegal?  It would be superb if it did though! 
Funny enough I saw them hiding in a bush this morning - no word of a lie, in a bush, trying to catch people.  All the crime that's going on and they waste our taxpayers money catching people doing slightly over the outdated (and based on 1960's stopping distances) speed limits. 

[Bill_the_Bear]

I can't see it interfering with a coppers ray gun, surely that's illegal?  It would be superb if it did though! 

Well the site said they car must 'interrupt' operation of its radar when it meets a speed trap, but how it knows this is a speed trap and not just another car with a radar beats me.  Then it said since ACC is a safety feature it must audibly warn you of the interrupted operation, thereby indirectly warning you of the speed trap.  Sounds very dubious to me though.

Funny enough I saw them hiding in a bush this morning - no word of a lie, in a bush, trying to catch people.  All the crime that's going on and they waste our taxpayers money catching people doing slightly over the outdated (and based on 1960's stopping distances) speed limits. 

Yeah, not such a bad job really is it?  Round here they all drive high spec cars like Q7s and beemers.  They seem to spend most of their time on the forecourt filling them up.  Then again, the most recent vehicle to appear is a Hyundi so I suspect after the last general election they were told to stop placing orders for £100k+ motors and get on with some actual work.

Friend of mine was doing near 100 in his Focus ST when they clocked him from a bridge and after a short chase pulled him over.  After a short lecture about how they could yank his license they ribbed him for wasting time on the dual carriage way and advised him of all the more fun and twisty roads he *should* have been speeding on instead.  Then they let him go with a relatively small fine.

[matchboy]

He's got off lightly with just a fine!  It certainly was the case years ago (I don't know now) that a copper gets more points on his service record for catching someone speeding than he does for catching, for eg. the ricin terrorist from a few years ago - as ridiculous as this sounds it is true.  The more points a copper gets the further up the ladder he can move.  Also, catching a crim doesn't actually pull in any revenue whereas a nice £60 fine is easy money.

Yes, round here I've seen 3 Series, a Jag XF, a flash Volvo, an A4 (unmarked) and an Focus ST (unmarked).  Funny story, a few years ago my brother had an R8 V10 - two "lads" came up behind him right up his ar$e and continued this for ages - so when the opportunity came along he nailed it and obviously destroyed the ST.  When they caught up they pulled him over and it was two coppers - basically entrapment.  Best thing was though the plum copper forgot to record the speed he was doing so they had to let him off (after he asked for proof which they couldn't give him)