2012 AUDI A6 sensor

signal light will come on as soon as the other
vehicle is in your blind spot and is detected by
side assist. When the difference in speed is
greater, the signa l light will not come on.
Informational and alert stage signals
App lies to vehicles: with side assist
Side assis t has two s ignal stages:
- the informationa l stage signal, and
- the a le rt stage signa l.
Side assist he lps you by usi ng the approp riate
signal s tage, depending on whether or not
you have activ ated the tu rn signal, and thus
have indicated that you are or are not chang ­
ing lanes .
Informational stage signal
As long as you have not a ctivated the tu rn sig­
n al , side a ssis t inf orms you of detec ted vehi­
cles th at are registered as being in a notable
l ocation if you were to change lanes. Whenev­
er the detected vehicle's difference i n speed
and d istance is registered by side assist as no­
table, the signal lig ht on the respective m irror
prod uces muted illuminat ion.
The brightness of the informat io na l stage sig ­
na l is designed not to be as intense, so that it
does not interfere wit h your view of the road
when you are driving and have no intention of
changing lanes. When you look in the o utside
mirror, you can clear ly see the info rmat iona l
stage signal.
Alert stage signal
When you activate the turn signa l, and side
assist has detec ted a vehicle i n a notable loca­
tion o n that particular side, the s ignal l ight on
this sid e mirro r flashes b right ly . The repeated
b rie f and bright flashing of the alert stage
signal re minds yo u to carefully check tr aff ic to
the rear in the o utside mirror and ove r your
shoulder, so that yo u can safe ly complete the
l ane change
c:> & in Safety tips on page 93.
Aud i side assist 89
@ Tips
The br ightness of the s ignal li ght on the
outside m irr ors can be adjusted with the
MMI c:> page 92.
Driving situation: Fast approaching
vehicles
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
@
Fig. 9 0 Side as sis t: Fast approac hing ve hicle s
@ Signal on outside mirror does not light
up
No vehicle was detecte d by the sensors . The
s ignal on the o utside mirror does not lig ht up
c:> .&. in Safety tips on page 93 .
@ Informational stage signal lights up
A fast appro ach ing vehicle -in the left-h and
l ane fo r example - was detected by the sen­
sors . Although this vehicle is still fa r away, it
sho uld be taken into accou nt if yo u were to
c hange lanes, due to the cons iderab le differ­
ence in speed. The informationa l stage s ignal
o n the outside mirror lig hts up
r=> page 89. ..,.

right of your travel lane, depending on wheth ­
er you driv e in the center of your lane or closer
to the edge .
I f yo u drive in narrow lanes, s ide ass ist's de ­
tection area may a lso include other lanes -es ­
pecia lly if you tend to drive on the edge of
your lane¢
fig. 95. Under these condit ions,
ve hicles can also be detected that are two
lanes away, and side assist then could sw itch
between the informat ional and warn ing stage
sig nals .
When driving in very w ide lanes, vehicles in
the adjacent lane may not be detected be­
cause they are not inside the detection area .
Notes
Messages in instrument cluster display
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
If side assist turns off automatically, the indi­
cator light on the button wi ll go out and you
will see a message in the instrument cl uster
d isplay:
Aud i side a ssist : not availab le. s en sors
blocked
T he side assist sensors are built into the rear
bumper on the left and right (not visible on
the outside) ¢
page 87, fig. 87. To ensure that
you do not adversely affect the way side assist functions, foreign objects (such as stickers o r
b icycle racks) shou ld not be attached to the
a rea on the rear bumper where the sensors
a re loca ted.
If side ass ist func tions a re ad­
versely affected, yo u will see this message in
the instrument cluster display. Remove any­
thing that may be blocking the sensors .
If no vehicle is detected for a longer period of
time while driving, side assis t will a lso switch
off a utomatica lly.
Audi side as sist currently not available
If there is a tempora ry problem (such as the
veh icle's battery charge being low), s ide ass ist
cannot be activated tempo rarily.
Audi side a ssis t 93
Audi side assist: system fault
Have the system checked by an author ized Au­
di dealer or qualified workshop .
Audi side assist: not available when
to wing
T he radar sensor's view is limited when tow ­
ing a trai ler . F or vehicles with a facto ry instal ­
led towing hitch or a trailer hitch that was in­
stalled later according to factory specifica­
tions, side assist is automatically deactivated
a s soon as the electrical connection to the
trailer 's electrical socket is made, and this sta­
tus message appears in the instrument clus ­
ter display . Deactivation cannot be guaran­
teed when using a ret rofitted towing hitch
that was
not installed acco rd ing to facto ry
spe cifica tions.
Safety tips
Applies to vehicles: with side assist
T he side assist detection may be limited when
driving around narrow street corners, on hi lly
streets, and under poor weather conditions.
It is possible that the radar sensors may a lso
detect other objects, s uch as high or stag ­
gered guardrails .
S ide assist does not measure act ual lane
width. The system assumes a fixed lane width.
Detection in the left and right lanes is based
on this ass umed lane width . When driving on
narrow roads or when driving to the left or
right of the center of a travel lane, it is poss i­
ble that vehicles will be detected that are
not
in the lane next to the lane you are using .
A WARNING
-Improper reliance on the side assist sys­
tem can cause coll is ions and serio us pe r­
sonal injury:
- Never rely on ly on side assist when
changing lanes .
- Always check rear view mirrors to make
sure that it is safe to change lanes.
- Side assist cannot detect all vehicles un-
der all conditions- danger of accident!
~

94 Audi side ass is t
- Side assist cannot detect vehicles in time
to alert you when they approach from
behind at very high speed, or fall drop
back very quickly .
- The radar sensor 's
vision can be reduced
or entirely blocked by rain, snow, and heavy spray . Th is can result in side assist
not adequately detecting vehicles or, in
some cases, not detecting them at a ll.
Always keep an eye on the d irection you
are t raveling and the relevant area
around the vehicle .
- Please note that side assis t indicates
there are approaching vehi cles, o r vehi­
cles in your blind spot, only after your ve­
hicle has reached a driving speed of at
least 19 mph (30 km/h).
- Side assist signal does not work around
tight corners (turning radius less than
328 feet, or 100 m) .
- Side assist is no rep lacement for the driv­
er's f ull attent ion . The dr iver alone is re­
sponsible for lane changes and similar
dr iving maneuvers. A lways keep an eye
on the direction you are traveling and the
relevant area around the vehicle.
(D Note
To ensure that side assist is not adve rsely
affected, you should not block the area on
the rear bumper where the radar sensors
are located with fo reign objects (such as
w ith stickers or bicycle racks) .
(D Tips
If the positions of the radar sensors have
been changed as a result of a rear end-col­
lision, fo r instance, have side assist
checked by a n author ized Audi dealer for
safety reasons.

Parking system
General information
Appl ies to vehicles: Audi parking system plus/Audi park­
ing system plus with rear view camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, vari­
ous parking aids will help you when parking
and maneuvering.
The
Audi parking system plus assists you
when parking by providing audio and visual
warn ings about objects
in front of and behind
the vehicle ¢page 113.
The Audi parking system plus with rear view
came ra
shows the area behind the vehicle in
the display . This image helps you when paral­
lel parking or cross parking. The system also
provides the parking aid aud io and visual sig­
nals
~ pag e 114 .
@ Tips
For information on cleaning , refer to
q page206.
Audi parking system
plus
De script ion
Appl ies to vehicles: with parking system plus
Audi parking system plus provides audio and
visual signals when parking .
Sensors are located in the front and rear
bumpers . If these detect an obstacle, audible
and v isual signals warn you. The range at
which the sensors begin to measure is approx ­
imately:
front
rear side
center
side
center
--~-
3 ft (0.90 m)
4 ft (1.20 m)
2 ft (0.60 m)
5.2 ft (1.60 m)
The closer you get to the obstacle, the shorter the interval between the audible signa ls. A
continuous tone sounds when the obstacle is
less than approximate ly 1 foot (0.30 meters)
away. Do not continue driving farther!
Parking system 113
If the distance to an obstacle remains con­
stant, th e volume of the distance warning
gradually drops after about four seconds (this
does not apply in the continuous tone range).
Switching on and off
Applies to vehicles: with parking system plus
Fig. 119 Ce nt er co nsol e: Parkin g sy ste m sw it c h
Fig. 120 MMI di splay : v is u al d istance display
Switching on
.. Switch the MMI on
.. Activate
comfort or auto mode in Audi drive
select
q page 95.
.. Shift into reverse or
.. Press the switch~ in the center conso le
q fig. 119 . A short confirmation tone
sounds and the indicator light in the switch
lights up.
Switching off
.. Drive faster than 6 mph (10 km/h) , or
.. press the switch
~ or
.. switch off the ignition.
Segments in the visual display
The red segments in front of and behind the
vehicle
¢ fig. 120 help you to determine the
distance between you and an obstacle. As
your vehicle comes closer to the obstacle, the .,..

114 Park in g s yste m
segments move closer to the vehicle. The col­
lision area has been reached when the next to
l ast segment is displayed. Do not cont inue
driving farther
c:> &.!
A WARNING
-Sensors have blind spots in which objects
cannot be detected . Pay special attention
to small children and animals because
the sensors cannot always detect them .
- The parking system cannot replace the
dr ive r's attention. The driver alone is re­
sponsible for parking and similar driving
maneuvers.
- Always keep your eyes on the veh icle's
surround ings, using the rear view mirror
as well.
(D Note
Low obstacles al ready signaled by a warn­
ing can disappear from the system's detec­
tion range as they are approached and will
not con tinue to be signa le d . Obje cts such
as barrier cha ins, trailer draw bars, thin
pa inted vertical poles or fences may not be
detected by the system, posing risk of
damage.
@ Tips
- The sensors must be kept clean a nd free
of snow and ice for the park assist to op­
erate.
- You can change the volume and pitch of
the signals as well as the display
<=>page 118.
-What appears in the display is time -de ­
l ayed.
Audi parking system
plus with rear view
camera
Introduction
Applies to vehicles : pa rkin g system p lus wit h rear view
came ra
Fig. 121 Parking mode 1: reverse parking
Fig. 122 Park ing mode 2: parallel parkin g
This park ing system integ rates a r e arvi ew
cam era
in addition to the audio and v isual
parking system signa ls
<=> page 113.
0 ± .. a,
You can choose between two modes to assist
yo u w ith parking. For example, you can use
"pa rking mode 1" when parking in a park ing
space or garage
c:> fig. 121. When you want to
park para llel to the edge of the st ree t, select
"pa rking mode 2"
<=>fig. 122.

General Information
Applies to vehicles: with parking system plus wit h rea r
view came ra
Fig. 123 Area cove red (D and area not covered @by
the rear vi ew camera.
Fig. 124 Rear lid: Loc ation of the rear view came ra
Rear view camera coverage area
The MMI display shows the area covered by
the rear view camera
c::> fig. 123 @. Objects
that are not in the area covered @are not
shown on the MMI display.
We recommend that you practice parking with
the rear view camera in a traffic -free location
or parking lot to become familiar with the sys­
tem, the orientation lines, and their function.
When doing this, there should be good light
and weather conditions.
In the MMI display, objects or vehicles appear
closer or further away if:
- you are driving in reverse gear from a level
surface onto an incline or a downward slope,
- you are driving in reverse gear toward pro­
truding objects,
- the vehicle is carrying too much load in the
rear.
The accuracy of the orientation lines and blue
surfaces dimin ishes if:
Parking system 115
- the rear view camera does not provide a reli­
able image, fo r example, in poor visibility
conditions or if the lens is dirty,
- the image on the screen is not visible due to
sun glare and reflection.
Caring for the rear view camera lens
The rear view camera is located above the rear
l icense plate bracket. For the parking system
to operate, the lens
c::> fig. 124 must be kept
clean:
- Dampen the lens with a household alcohol­
based glass cleaner, and then wipe the lens
clean with a dry cloth
c::> Q) .
-Remove snow with a hand brush and ice
preferably with a de-icing spray
c::> (i) .
_& WARNING .. --- Sensors have blind spots in which objects
cannot be detected. Pay special attention
to small children and animals because
the sensors cannot always detect them.
- The parking system cannot replace the
driver's attention. The driver alone is re­
sponsible for parking and similar driving
maneuvers.
- Always keep your eyes on the vehicle's
surroundings, using the rear view mirror
as well.
- Do not allow yourself to be distracted
from traffic by the rear view camera pic­
tures.
- If the position and the installation angle
of the camera has changed, for example,
after a rear end collision, do not continue
to use the system for safety reasons .
Have it checked by a qualified dealership.
(D Note
-Low obstacles already signaled by a
warning can disappear from the system's detection range as they are approached
and w ill not continue to be s ignaled. Ob­
jects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, thin painted vertical poles or fen­
ces may not be detected by the system,
posing risk of damage .

116 Parking system
-Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow or ice from the rear view camera lens -this could cause the lens to crack!
- When cleaning the lens, never use prod­
ucts that are abrasive.
Switching on and off
Applies to vehicles: with pa rk in g system plus w it h rear
view ca mera
The rear view camera switches on automati­
cally together with the acoustic and visual
park assist when you put the vehicle in re­ vers e.
Switching on
• Switch the MMI on
• Activate
comfort or auto mode in Audi drive
select
r::!;) page 95.
• Shift into reverse or
• Press the switch
l""I in the center console
r::!;)page 113, fig. 119. A short confirmation
tone sounds and th e indicator light in the
switch lights up.
Switching between the rear view camera
and visual display
• Press the Graphic control button
r::!;) page 117 , fig . 12 S @ to see the visual
display .
• Press the
Rearview control button to see
the rear view camera image
r::!;) page 113,
fig . 120 .
Switching off
• Drive faster than 6 mph (10 km/h), or
• press the switch
I"" I or
• switch
off the ignition.
A WARNING
-The MMI display cannot show, or cannot
adequately show, certain objects (such as
small posts or grating), recesses in the
ground and protruding parts on another
car.
- Only use the rear view camera to assist
you if it shows a good, clear picture. For
example, the image may be affected by the sun shining into the lens, dirt on the
lens or if there is a defect .
- Use the rear view camera only with the
rear lid completely closed. Make sure any
objects you may have mounted on the
rear lid do not block the rear view cam­
era .
(!) Tips
-The sensors must be kept clean and free
of snow and ice for the park assist to op­
erate.
- If your vehicle is near an obstacle, an ad­
ditional visual indicator appears in the
rearview camera image . This superim­
posed image is there to help you to de­
termined which area of the vehicle is af­
fected.
- You can change the volume and pitch of
the signals as well as the display
r::!;) page 118.
-What appears in the display is time-de­
layed .

Off -when the parking system is switched off,
only audible signals are given.
Warning tones
Front volume -front sensor vo lume
Front frequency -front sensor frequency
Rear volume -rear sensor volume
Rear frequency -rear sensor frequency
Music volume while parking -when the park­
ing system is switched on, the volume of the
active audio source is lowered.
The newly adjusted value is briefly heard from
the signal gene rator.
(D Tips
- The warning tones can also be adjusted
directly by the v isual display or the pic­
ture from the rear v iew camera. Simply
press the
Settings control button.
- Changed settings are activated when
parking system is switched on aga in.
- The settings are automatically stored
and ass igned to the remote control key.
Error messages
App lies to vehicles: with parking system plus or parking
syste m plus with rear v iew camera
There is an error in the system if the L ED on
the
[f;] switch is blinking and you hear a con­
tinuous alarm for a few seconds after switch­ ing on the parking system or when the park­
ing system is already act ivated . H ave your au­
thor ized Audi dealer correct the error .
(i) Tips
If the error is not corrected before you
switch off the ignition, when you switch on
the parking system aga in, the LED in the
[f;] switch wil l blink.
Parking system 119