Travel Assist

[Teachertim]

Thinking of changing to the new model. Has anyone test driven with the travel assist? Wondering how it works with auto-speed limiter. Is it as good as they say? I’ve been told it recognises speed limits and adjusts the car to the right speed.

[SRGTD]

If it’s the same as the version in the mk8 Golf, then it won’t be without its faults. Travel assist in the Golf seems to randomly confuse mph with kph and there’ve been quite a few instances discussed on Golf forums where the car mistakes the UK national speed limit of 70 mph as 70 kph, so slows the car down to 43 mph (the equivalent of 70 kph). That could be a little disconcerting and dangerous if you’re being tailgated on a motorway and your car suddenly brakes and slows to 43 mph!

It’s not just the national speed limit where this has happened - some owners have also had their cars slow down to 30 kph in a 30 mph speed limit, 40 kph in a 40 mph zone and so on. It does seem to be completely random and doesn’t always happen (it does sometimes get it right). Also, not all mk8 Golfs seem to suffer from this software gremlin.

On the subject of VW software issues in general - The mk8 Golf seems to have been plagued by various software issues, as have many other current model VAG vehicles that are built on the MQB platform. Therefore, if the Polo gets the same software then there’s a good chance it may also suffer from a number of software gremlins. VW have issued various software fixes to rectify software issues in the mk8 Golf and not all of these have been entirely successful. However, there is a rumoured major software fix to be released by VW that’s alleged to fix the majority of the Golf’s software gremlins.

If there is a long lead time for a factory order for the facelift Polo, then maybe that’ll be a blessing in disguise as it gives VW time to get their software issues sorted, so hopefully the Polo will get software that’s largely gremlin-free.

[MarcB]

I have a new Polo 1.0 TSI Life. I am trying to explore the Travel Assist function and just wondered whether it had less functionality with a manual gearbox? I’ve only tried it on a section of roadworks on a motorway travelling at 50 mph in 5th gear, but what I don’t understand (and haven’t experimented with yet) is what happens if it slows the car down to a speed where a lower gear would be required? Does Travel Assist just stop working, or does it continue to work if the driver changes the gear?

[MarcB]

I have a new Polo 1.0 TSI Life. I am trying to explore the Travel Assist function and just wondered whether it had less functionality with a manual gearbox? I’ve only tried it on a section of roadworks on a motorway travelling at 50 mph in 5th gear, but what I don’t understand (and haven’t experimented with yet) is what happens if it slows the car down to a speed where a lower gear would be required? Does Travel Assist just stop working, or does it continue to work if the driver changes the gear?

I’ve now answered my own question by experimentation. I’m posting this as I hope it helps others who might have the same question. With Travel Assist engaged, if the speed either decreases or increases requiring a gear change, then the system informs the driver that a gear change is required on the display. Once the gear change is executed, Travel Assist continues to function until deactivated by the driver as normal. I’m very impressed with the Travel Assist having now used it a few times. The ACC handles undulating roads very well, and the Lane Assist handles gentle bends on dual carriageways and motorways very well, but I am not confident to let it handle sharper bends on country roads at higher speeds. Initially a bit sceptical that I would ever use Travel Assist, I can now see me using it when on longer journeys with long stretches of road at a specific speed limit. I don’t have automatic road-sign recognition on my model but it is very easy to adjust the ACC speed with the buttons. Another thing the driver has to adjust for is that it doesn’t take into account what drivers in the lanes next to you are doing. So if someone is overtaking you, the Travel Assist will accelerate if the way ahead is clear which can be perceived as being “aggressive” by the other driver, whereas you would normally ease off to let the other driver pass and pull in. A consideration for future iterations perhaps?

[arkay]

It’s good to hear Travel assist works well with the manual gearbox. It is well thought out in that it seems to tell you to change gear as it slows!

I have a Polo Life with DSG on order and I am looking forward to it working even better since the auto gearbox changes gear as necessary. I’ve said previously on here that the Life model, as the ‘base’ version, is very well equipped.

How do you find the refinement/noise in general driving? I only had a short test drive in a manual Life model with 5 speed box and it seemed quiet and rode bumps/potholes well. Looking forward to getting mine sometime in April.