My tests are inconclusive at best. It does not detect pedestrians or give you warnings while parking/ Maybe/sometimes/every odd Sunday. It may assist cross traffic/not sure?????? It may feeds the lights in the rear view mirrors. Still a mystery to me.
It definitely warns during parking, that's the whole point, and is important for the parking assist (if equipped). It's also used for blind spot monitoring, but I think that's a much simpler algorithm/function. Rear cross traffic alert uses two additional side-facing millimeter wave radars according to diagrams and descriptions I've seen. The sonar sensors aren't sufficient for that function; RCTA picks up traffic at a greater range than the sonar supports.
Thanks, great info. It may during assisted parking mode but I do not see those warning sensors pop on when I enter my garage. Only the other 8 light up. Due you also have PCP? Also too many terms to keep straight. I remember the lights on the mirrors and that is that.
I have a Four Touring with PCP, so all of the ATP minus the HUD and moonroof. My side sensors do trigger when I pull into my garage. We park two cars and I need to leave enough gap in the middle of the garage to manage a small child and car seat. I pull in with my right side mirror about an inch or two from the edge of the garage overhead door frame. It usually triggers then, but if it doesn't then it certainly does when I vector slightly right once the mirror is clear. I believe the warning distance is shorter for the side sensors, compared to the front/rear. That makes sense when you think about narrow parking spaces where you'd expect there to be other cars relatively close to the sides. I imagine they walked a fine line tuning those sensors to find a balance between annoyance alerts in tight spots and warning distance for problem obstacles. I've never had the car automatically apply the brakes because of a sensor during parking.
You are right and I am wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pics enclosed! Had to fold my mirrors in and get closer to the wall.
The other limitation, because of the sensor recording magic, is that an obstacle has to pass through the range of one of the side sensors before it will register. If you stop right next to a pole, right at the B-pillar and wait (or park, shut the car off, and start it later) it won't remember that the pole is there even though it could be inches from your paint. The same applies if something were to be placed there later, or if something like a gate were swinging/approaching dead on from the side. In the warning screen, you may notice that the sides of the car have no sensor areas depicted (all black) until the car moves enough distance for it to know that area is clear (or not). As you back out of a space slowly, after starting the car from off, you may notice the two zones on each side (front/rear door areas) will change from black (no data) to solid gray (no obstacle).
Keep teaching me folks. I forget after 10 minutes. OK, still need to be able to sense the walls at a proper distance with the speed brakes out.
So is the range detection adjustable for the side sensors? At present they have no use for me as it would maybe scrape the mirrors before a warning would go off.
There's a sensitivity adjustment somewhere, either in the settings screen or Carista. I don't remember which. However, I've not seen anything that adjusts the side sensors separate from the front/rear.
***Be aware that if you chicken out and touch the brake (or gas pedal) when the brake assist warning sounds or when DCC is on and you're approaching the car in front, the car does not automatically brake***
Good advice. If the systems detect sufficient input from the driver, they interpret it as you saying "I've got it!".