NHTSA Complaint #10652360 — 2014 AUDI A6

REF # 10652344 I CANNOT SIT BOTH SAFELY AND COMFORTABLY AS A PASSENGER IN OUR 2014 A6. I AM DISABLED AND MUST USE A CUSHION, NOT ALL THAT UNUSUAL. BUT THE SYSTEM FOR DETECTING A PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE A6 IS NOT BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON BUT ON THE ELECTRO-STATIC CHARGE THAT THE PASSENGER'S BODY GIVES OFF. IF I SIT ON A CUSHION, I AM NOT DETECTED BY THE SYSTEM.I WAS TOLD THAT THIS SYSTEM WAS PUT IN PLACE SO THAT A CHILD'S CARSEAT WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE AIRBAG. NO CHILD'S SEAT SHOULD EVER BE IN THE FRONT SEAT OF A CAR. IT APPEARS THAT THIS WAS A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM THAT REALLY DOES NOT EXIST. AN AUDI ENGINEER HAS MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO MY HUSBAND'S CAR, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE FINAL DECISION OF EITHER FOREGO THE CUSHION AND ENGAGE THE AIRBAG OR SIT WITHOUT PAIN AND FOREGO THE SAFETY OF AN AIRBAG .I ASKED IF WE COULD RETURN THE CAR; THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FEDERAL REGULATION DOES NOT PERMIT SIMPLY TURNING THE SYSTEM OFF SO THAT THE AIRBAG IS ALWAYS ON, MUCH AS THE DRIVER'S IS ALWAYS ON.ALTERNATIVELY I HAVE ASKED THAT A WEIGHT BASED SYSTEM, LIKE THE ONE IN MY 2013 A5 CABRIOLET, BE INSTALLED IN THE A6. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BUYING THE CAR IN MAY OF THIS YEAR OF THE ISSUE; IT WAS ALLOWED TO LANGUISH ALL SUMMER EVEN WITH MY HUSBAND'S GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERY MONTH FROM MAY TO AUGUST UNTIL I SENT A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT TO AUDI USA. THEIR RESPONSE WAS "NOTHING CAN BE DONE".SINCE THEN WE HAVE DRIVEN THOUSANDS OF MILES AND I HAVE HAD TO BE WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF AN AIRBAG. AUDI HAS MADE A DESIGN DECISION THAT PUTS PASSENGERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, AT RISK. THE MANUAL STATES THAT "NEVER USE CUSHIONS, PILLOWS, BLANKETS,,...(WHICH) PREVENT THE CAPACITIVE PASSENGER DETECTION SYSTEM FROM" WORKING. THIS SYSTEM IS LESS SAFE THAN THE PREVIOUS WEIGHT RELATED SYSTEM IN PREVIOUS MODELS. *TR