Leon FR - traffic sign recognition

[ianj37]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help with whether it is possible to spec traffic sign recognition on a new UK sourced Leon FR 1.4. I'm looking to replace my Ford Focus with a Leon

Ask the dealer you might say, well yes, but .... I've asked 2 dealers one said yes, part of the lane warning system and the other said no not possible. There appears to be no mention of it on the Leon section of the UK Seat web site.

However, it is shown on the Seat Ireland web site as a safety feature of the Leon 5 door but if I then go further into this web site and configure a Leon 5 door there is no option specifically for traffic sign recognition and none of the explanations of the option packs mentions it. Clearly it's not a deal breaker but it is a little confusing!

Thanks

 

[MrRilo]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help with whether it is possible to spec traffic sign recognition on a new UK sourced Leon FR 1.4. I'm looking to replace my Ford Focus with a Leon

Thanks

I also have a question about traffic sign recognition and also found the SEAT website confusing when speccing my car.

I have a month old FR with tech pack and convenience pack. When I picked it up, I found it had lane assist. I didn't expect this (and the dealer was surprised) as I thought this was part of the safety pack.

Reading on here and on the web, the sign recognition uses the same camera as lane assist but cannot find it in the menu's to activate it.

When the Nav is on, it indicates the speed limit on the display. Is this from the camera or part of the Nav function? Does anybody know how to get it to show on the smaller dash display without the Nav on? It's the only thing I miss from my Focus as this showed it all the time.

 

[ianj37]

I think the answer is that it can't be done with 'normally used settings'. There are post on the internet of alchemists who seem to be able to alter the factory installed software and make the traffic signs show. It really is strange because on seat.com and seat.ie it's shown as a safety feature and it would seem really peculiar if cars made for Ireland are different to those for the UK. That said although the .ie site shows it as a safety feature when configuring a car on that site it doesn't show as an option!
I've emailed Seat UK and asked them whether I can specify a car that shows the signs but I'm not holding out much hope. I'll post the reply here.

Any other differences from the focus I should be aware of?

 

[MrRilo]

I think the answer is that it can't be done with 'normally used settings'. There are post on the internet of alchemists who seem to be able to alter the factory installed software and make the traffic signs show. It really is strange because on seat.com and seat.ie it's shown as a safety feature and it would seem really peculiar if cars made for Ireland are different to those for the UK. That said although the .ie site shows it as a safety feature when configuring a car on that site it doesn't show as an option!
I've emailed Seat UK and asked them whether I can specify a car that shows the signs but I'm not holding out much hope. I'll post the reply here.

Any other differences from the focus I should be aware of?

Not sure there is a difference between UK and Ireland, when I specced the car I saw the lane guidance was part of the safety pack which I decided not to have so was surprised to get it. I cant see the traffic recognition in any pack on the UK site. It surprises me that I can get the traffic signs when Nav is on but not all the time as we did in the Focus.

I came from a 2012 Focus 1.6 TDCI which I found to be a good car with great economy (MrsRilo was the real reason we bought it because it parked itself and the reason the Leon has a rear camera). So far I have found the Leon great, chose this because of the great reviews and wanting a petrol with more BHP. So far the biggest difference is the ride height, you sit alot lower and the ride is firmer. Although it is a firmer ride, it is not uncomfortable except on the biggest of pot holes. I feel it handles corners as well as the Focus so far. The lower ride height is quickly adjusted to, I knew afer 2 minutes of the test drive that this was the car for me.

Honestly, the only thing I miss is the speed recognition thingy and wouldn't go back.

 

[ianj37]

I now have the definitive answer to this. I'd sent an email to Seat UK asking them the answer and unexpectedly, and very impressively, they phoned me. It is not possible to order a Leon for the UK with the option to look for and display the traffic signs on the drivers display. The reason they gave was simply that all options can't be available in all countries and they have taken a decision that Ireland and the Europe need this option but the UK doesn't. I guess it's still possible to follow the 'alchemist's route' and attempt to alter the software, but clearly Seat aren't going to approve of that!

MrRilo - thanks for the information about the differences with the focus. I'm almost ready to order but at the moment I'm sweating the small stuff, embarrassingly too much! There are two questions you might be able to help me with:

1) As you will recall when the headlights are on on the focus the green headlights symbol is displayed on the dash. I find this useful when using the auto setting on the headlights as otherwise I can't really tell if the lights are on or not. I gather the Leon doesn't have a a symbol on the dash but I've read on another forum that if the lights in a Leon are set to auto and the auto system doesn't need to turn the lights on then the auto symbol on the headlamp switch is illuminated but none of the other symbols eg sidelights or front/rear fogs are but but if the headlamps have been turned on by the auto system then all the symbols on the switch are illuminated. Is this right?

2) Using the rear camera on the Focus with reversing sensors then the display shows the red/orange green grid and also the projected trajectory of the wheels. I'm told the Leon doesn't show the wheel trajectory. Again do you happen to know if this is correct?

Many thanks

 

[TheVoice]

1. Correct. You'll see the green headlight symbol illuminated on the switch when the system turns the headlights on. I find the auto sensor to be very good; the lights come on at about the same sort of light level I'd be wanting to turn them on anyway (i.e. before it's actually noticeably dark). My old Mazda3 Sport was a bit less sensitive. They also come on automatically when the auto wipers have activated a few times which is especially handy.

2. My car only has front/rear sensors (no cam) but it does show wheel trajectory.

 

[MrRilo]

I now have the definitive answer to this. I'd sent an email to Seat UK asking them the answer and unexpectedly, and very impressively, they phoned me. It is not possible to order a Leon for the UK with the option to look for and display the traffic signs on the drivers display. The reason they gave was simply that all options can't be available in all countries and they have taken a decision that Ireland and the Europe need this option but the UK doesn't. I guess it's still possible to follow the 'alchemist's route' and attempt to alter the software, but clearly Seat aren't going to approve of that!

MrRilo - thanks for the information about the differences with the focus. I'm almost ready to order but at the moment I'm sweating the small stuff, embarrassingly too much! There are two questions you might be able to help me with:

1) As you will recall when the headlights are on on the focus the green headlights symbol is displayed on the dash. I find this useful when using the auto setting on the headlights as otherwise I can't really tell if the lights are on or not. I gather the Leon doesn't have a a symbol on the dash but I've read on another forum that if the lights in a Leon are set to auto and the auto system doesn't need to turn the lights on then the auto symbol on the headlamp switch is illuminated but none of the other symbols eg sidelights or front/rear fogs are but but if the headlamps have been turned on by the auto system then all the symbols on the switch are illuminated. Is this right?

2) Using the rear camera on the Focus with reversing sensors then the display shows the red/orange green grid and also the projected trajectory of the wheels. I'm told the Leon doesn't show the wheel trajectory. Again do you happen to know if this is correct?

Many thanks

Thanks for definitive answer, still seems annoying that you can only get speed limit info when on the nav screen. Was a good feature in the Focus,

In answer to your questions:

1. Exactly as described in the answer above. However, in the car menu's, you can turn off the feature for lights to come on with the wipers if not required.

2. It does show wheel trajectory in the park pilot screen but when selecting reverse, the camera takes over full screen. It doesn't show trajectory in this mode. I didnt have a camera on the focus, it had auto park.

Found this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpj2c6GgFkE

Although its on a Golf, the camera screen is very similar. The camera is mounted under the rear bumper.

 

[ianj37]

Thanks for the information, it's very helpful.