Passat misses out on insurance discount

Crash avoidance technology in the Passat will not attract the 20 per cent insurance premium discount being offered to a similar system in the XC60.

VW's new adaptive cruise control with front assist will operate from 30-150km/h and bring the car to a complete stop.

If a rear-end collision is imminent, the car will sound and flash a warning to the driver, bring the disc pads up to the discs, increase brake pressure and even dab the brakes.

However, the driver then has to take over — and that is one of the major differences with the Volvo City Safety radar system.

NRMA Insurance last week offered a 20 per cent discount to XC60 owners based on the car’s new radar technology designed to prevent rear-end collisions, which are the most common insurance claims.

However, spokesman Robert McDonald says the VW system would not qualify for several reasons.

McDonald says the Volvo system intervenes and brings the car to a complete stop on its own, and will operate under 30km/h – the speed range where most rear-enders occurred.

In comparison, the VW adaptive cruise control will operate from 30-150km/h and will come to a complete stop, but not in an emergency situation where driver input is required.

Cost of repairs is also a consideration, McDonald says.

"The radar sensor on the VW is on the front grille and if that gets damaged it can be quite expensive," he says.

"In some cars it costs up to $10,000 to replace. The Volvo sensor is on the windscreen."

The second-generation VW adaptive cruise control system is an update of the one originally designed for the ill-fated Phaeton luxury saloon.