[mustangvins]

Originally Posted by narayanbabu

Guys, I have something really exciting to share. I bought my Allspace in December 2019.

In Nov 2021, I found someone who could help me with the quest of upgrading my Allspace, for the first round I chose these features

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Massaging on driver's seats
• Wireless charging
• TPMS (with pressure levels)
• Auto high beams

None of these involved (major) hardware upgrades. Most of these features involved mostly coding and switching of some components.

Congratulations on such a wonderful set of mods. The ACC mod is an extremely impactful change which increases the value quotient several notches. In addition to the ease of driving, what struck me more was the jump in mileage.

Do you see any impact on warranty due to this mod? Would the OBD changes not get auto-detected during the service check up?

I have been considering doing this mod for a while now. I even ordered the ACC switch soon after buying the car but holding back mainly due to warranty concerns.

Originally Posted by narayanbabu

ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL!!!
As he inspected the car, also suggested upgrading the radar module, the stock module could only support up to 150kmph, while the new one could do 220kmph. And since the 3rd generation Driving assist systems that Tiguan Allspace has comes with dynamic calibration, swapping out the radar won't create any issues. For the uninitiated the radar module hides behind the ceramic VW logo on the front grill.

What is the need for swapping the radar module? I understand it supports a higher speed, but for Indian conditions, would 150kmph not suffice?

Originally Posted by narayanbabu

What next
So far I haven't made any major hardware upgrades, but some items which are on the list are

• Upgraded ACC cameras for fully autonomous drive and few missing features mentioned in the manual (traffic jam assist, city drive enhancements). The current sensors does not have the fidelity or precision to handle slow speed or continuous monitoring.
• Blind spot Assist (BLA). Another feature mentioned in the booklet. This involves replacing the side mirrors with BLA lights but also adding side sensors to detect when cars come into the blind spot. This is really useful for our Indian conditions where drivers switch lanes at whim. I have used this in Volvos and they're really effective.

ACC cameras - Did you explore any potential camera replacements? Would be great if you can share the camera options and cost. Is there any camera that can also double up as a dashcam?

Originally Posted by narayanbabu

I got all of this done from Vagtune, he is very knowledgeable and shares the entire process, tech and theory of each module before touching anything.

Can you share the contact details of this guy from Vagtune? I am presuming he is based out of Kochi. Does he come to other cities for these changes?

[narayanbabu]

Originally Posted by mustangvins

Do you see any impact on warranty due to this mod? Would the OBD changes not get auto-detected during the service check up?

I have not spliced any wires, or made any irreversible changes, but if you ask honestly I don't know. Depends on how the dealer looks at these changes. He will obviously spot the new cockpit icons and stuff.

What is the need for swapping the radar module? I understand it supports a higher speed, but for Indian conditions, would 150kmph not suffice?

I would say, it was spur of the moment, as I am spending so much on ACC, didn't want this to be a bottle neck at some point. Also, it is not just 150 to 220, it also means higher fidelity, newer gen radar module.

ACC cameras - Did you explore any potential camera replacements? Would be great if you can share the camera options and cost. Is there any camera that can also double up as a dashcam?

There is a newer camera (I gues 2Q0) which is now compatible with the Tiguan platform, and apparently they're the same ones used in Telsa as well (take it with a pinch of salt). But, this one will give continuous road monitoring, sign board monitoring etc. (Essentially it will not show hold the steering warning after 20s, and will support low speed < 60kmph assists). But, not sure if they can be used as dashcams, as they're not standard RGB cams I guess.

Can you share the contact details of this guy from Vagtune? I am presuming he is based out of Kochi. Does he come to other cities for these changes?

Will PM you. He will do it anywhere as long as you pay for travel and stay (and a proper workspace with Internet + power). I myself did it in Bangalore, retrospectively I would have taken the car to Kochi so that he can operate in his home ground.

[nandrive]

Congratulations, that an awesome upgrade. I always use ACC and I know how special it feels to drive with ACC. After using ACC for close to 2 years, now I do not think ACC/ADAS is just a piece technology to ease driving, I feel its a divine force which looks after my driving and protects me from making mistakes. Please keep this thread active by updating your experience with ACC along the way, many people in India have negative opinion on ACC without even using it, hope you can bring about a change.

[reddyam]

Got inspired by Narayanbabu and drove to VAGTUNE in Cochin with my Tiguan Allspace, I have always stayed away from accessories or changes, but after reading Narayan's review and having a friend visit VAGTUNE, I drove from Bangalore to Cochin to get the following mods done,

1. Predictive Cruise Control - in addition to the software licensing to enable the feature, got the radar was upgraded as well.
2. Camera Resolution Upgrade - Front Camera software tweak to increase the resolution from 1.2 megapixels to 4.8 megapixels.
3. Remote closing of the boot - the key knob is enabled to close the boot lid, no solution yet to close it with the old controls.
4. Auto Headlights - Got the mod done to enable auto high beam, again software tweaks
5. Seat Massager - The driver seat now has a massage option enabled, a hardware module added and the preset 3 button on the seats used to switch this feature on or off.

It's over a month since I got these mods done, drove over 1000 kms post the mods and wanted to share my experience with you all on the predictive cruise control feature in particular -

PCC - It is not just adaptive cruise control but one step ahead, it's Predictive Cruise Control. Using the inbuilt map the car now senses curves in the road, and speed limits and slows down. this is in addition to being able to use ACC from 0 kmph and you can set 30 or 40 kmph speed limit. The camera can read road signs and displays the same in your instrument cluster, slows down to stay within legal limits. You can override the lower speed by pressing on the accelerator. In many stretches of cochin Coimbatore highway, the speed limit in the latest built-in map shows 10 kmph as the limit. If you set your destination on the in-built map, the car can more or less drive itself to the destination. Recognises cars or other vehicles in front and maintains the distance by slowing down, cut lanes and it accelerates to your chosen speed. You get an image of a track and a car on your instrument cluster, using the ACC button you can adjust the distance you want to maintain between your car and other vehicles.

WHAT I LIKE - improves driver safety on the highway to a great extent. Reduces driver stress. Saves you from traffic fines like in the Palaghat stretch. You can adjust the steering feel under the ACC menu. The lane assist and collision avoidance system works very well with ACC. 10% improvement in mileage when using this feature on highways. A great party trick to show off to your friends. The front camera is very effective in recognising road signs. When using this feature the system calculates the best braking power by using images from the front and rear cameras to avoid a collision at high speeds.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK - This feature requires the lane markings to work effectively. this is maybe semi-autonomous by European standards, since we do not maintain adequate distance between two vehicles in India, it is frustrating at times. Every once in a while, the radar may not recognise the vehicle in front, the driver must be alert for such failures. The in-built maps have very dated speed limits coded, on some highways, you will drop to 40 kmph or less due to this. Two-wheelers on the road can confuse the system big time triggering .

In a nutshell - I love the predictive cruise control and look forward to using it at every opportunity. VAGTUNE was a great find Narayanbabu, they know what they are doing and they did a quality job. They specialise in German cars and I saw Audi, VW, Skoda and BMW cars in his workshop undergoing some mods or the other.

What next - Could not get the ambient lighting tweaked to enable mood lighting. No permanent fix yet to enable the internet in the car or enable the mobile app, currently using the WeConnectGo app with limited features. Find a solution to reduce the cabin heat during long drives, has anyone figured out a solution to this?

What do you think of ACC or PCC and what's your experience using either one, do share your thoughts.

Cheers!

[Guna]

Originally Posted by reddyam

Got inspired by Narayanbabu and drove to VAGTUNE in Cochin with my Tiguan Allspace, I have always stayed away from accessories or changes, but after reading Narayan's review and having a friend visit VAGTUNE, I drove from Bangalore to Cochin to get the following mods done,

If you don't mind, can you share the cost for the 'Predictive Cruise Control' mod? How long does one need to leave the car with them?
Did you consider 360 degree camera?

[reddyam]

Originally Posted by Guna

If you don't mind, can you share the cost for the 'Predictive Cruise Control' mod? How long does one need to leave the car with them?
Did you consider 360 degree camera?

Hi Guna,

The cost of PCC depends on whether you want to replace your Lidar Sensor a.k.a radar which is mounted behind your VW logo in front. it may set you back by 110k approx. I dropped the car at 10AM and picked it up at 5PM after all the mods. if it is just the PCC you are looking for I would say budget for 4 hrs.

I did consider 360 degree camera and dropped the idea given the cost and number of changes needed. It wasn't an essential feature for my use case.

[narayanbabu]

Originally Posted by reddyam

Got inspired by Narayanbabu and drove to VAGTUNE in Cochin with my Tiguan Allspace, I have always stayed away from accessories or changes, but after reading Narayan's review and having a friend visit VAGTUNE, I drove from Bangalore to Cochin to get the following mods done,

1. Predictive Cruise Control - in addition to the software licensing to enable the feature, got the radar was upgraded as well.
2. Camera Resolution Upgrade - Front Camera software tweak to increase the resolution from 1.2 megapixels to 4.8 megapixels.
3. Remote closing of the boot - the key knob is enabled to close the boot lid, no solution yet to close it with the old controls.
4. Auto Headlights - Got the mod done to enable auto high beam, again software tweaks
5. Seat Massager - The driver seat now has a massage option enabled, a hardware module added and the preset 3 button on the seats used to switch this feature on or off.

It's over a month since I got these mods done, drove over 1000 kms post the mods and wanted to share my experience with you all on the predictive cruise control feature in particular -

PCC - It is not just adaptive cruise control but one step ahead, it's Predictive Cruise Control. Using the inbuilt map the car now senses curves in the road, and speed limits and slows down. this is in addition to being able to use ACC from 0 kmph and you can set 30 or 40 kmph speed limit. The camera can read road signs and displays the same in your instrument cluster, slows down to stay within legal limits. You can override the lower speed by pressing on the accelerator. In many stretches of cochin Coimbatore highway, the speed limit in the latest built-in map shows 10 kmph as the limit. If you set your destination on the in-built map, the car can more or less drive itself to the destination. Recognises cars or other vehicles in front and maintains the distance by slowing down, cut lanes and it accelerates to your chosen speed. You get an image of a track and a car on your instrument cluster, using the ACC button you can adjust the distance you want to maintain between your car and other vehicles.

WHAT I LIKE - improves driver safety on the highway to a great extent. Reduces driver stress. Saves you from traffic fines like in the Palaghat stretch. You can adjust the steering feel under the ACC menu. The lane assist and collision avoidance system works very well with ACC. 10% improvement in mileage when using this feature on highways. A great party trick to show off to your friends. The front camera is very effective in recognising road signs. When using this feature the system calculates the best braking power by using images from the front and rear cameras to avoid a collision at high speeds.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK - This feature requires the lane markings to work effectively. this is maybe semi-autonomous by European standards, since we do not maintain adequate distance between two vehicles in India, it is frustrating at times. Every once in a while, the radar may not recognise the vehicle in front, the driver must be alert for such failures. The in-built maps have very dated speed limits coded, on some highways, you will drop to 40 kmph or less due to this. Two-wheelers on the road can confuse the system big time triggering .

In a nutshell - I love the predictive cruise control and look forward to using it at every opportunity. VAGTUNE was a great find Narayanbabu, they know what they are doing and they did a quality job. They specialise in German cars and I saw Audi, VW, Skoda and BMW cars in his workshop undergoing some mods or the other.

What next - Could not get the ambient lighting tweaked to enable mood lighting. No permanent fix yet to enable the internet in the car or enable the mobile app, currently using the WeConnectGo app with limited features. Find a solution to reduce the cabin heat during long drives, has anyone figured out a solution to this?

What do you think of ACC or PCC and what's your experience using either one, do share your thoughts.

Cheers!

AWESOME!
I absolutely love my ADAS, and regularly drive with pACC whenever I am on a highway (of course being attentive and safe all the time).
Since then I have upgraded a few more.

• From ACC --> pACC (predictive ACC), with an upgraded radar and camera, which are capable of Road sign recognition and theorical ACC upto 220kmph (stock one is upto 160). It also uses map data (onboard navigation) and slows down on junctions and curves, which is really useful.
• Added a few more sensors and cameras to get 360 view
• Now that I have the sensors, no point in not upgrading the side mirrors to enable BSA (Blind Spot Assist) and also Rear Cross Traffic alert (different from the stock one, this one alerts even if a vehicle/person is coming from far away and has a chance to collide)
• Traffic Jam assist, basically ACC from start-stop. Stock ACC is only available above 60kmph, this one works even at 0kmph (min speed set is 30kmph)
• Heads up display. It is cute/ugly depending on how you see it. HUD is not projected on the windshield but on a glass that comes up as you turn on the car.
• Lastly my favorite, Remote boot close with the boot open button itself!! This is my favorite of all :-)

Will take a weekend to write a detailed post with pics on the above upgrades!!