NHTSA Complaint #11306620 — 2018 AUDI Q5

THIS IS NOT AN URGENT SAFETY ISSUE, BUT JUST A DUMB DECISION THAT SHOULD BE RECTIFIED. IT IS ALSO LIMITED TO DRIVERS UTILIZING HITCH OR OTHER REAR-ATTACHMENTS. THERE ARE CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE THE PARKING SENSORS CAN BE TOLD TO STOP BEEPING, BUT THAT ACTION ALSO DISABLES THE BACKUP CAMERA, WHICH IS NEEDED. THERE IS NO MECHANISM TO TURN OFF THE BEEPING AND KEEP THE BACKUP CAMERA ON. SERVICE CENTERS HAVE CONFIRMED THIS. THE MAIN SCENARIO WHERE THIS IS A PROBLEM IS WHERE THERE IS SOMETHING CONNECTED TO A HITCH, SUCH AS A BIKE RACK THAT MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO THINK THAT THERE'S AN OBJECT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE. THESE BACKUP SENSORS ARE UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A HITCH-BASED MOUNT (WITHOUT POWER CONNECTED) AND SOMETHING THAT IS LEGITIMATELY TOO CLOSE WHILE REVERSING. WHEN POWER IS CONNECTED, SUCH AS WITH AN ACTUAL TRAILER TO SUPPLY POWER TO BRAKE LIGHTS, THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT THE BACKUP WARNINGS WILL BE DISABLED AUTOMATICALLY. BUT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE A HITCH-BASED BIKE RACK IS ATTACHED THAT DOESN'T NEED POWER, THE WARNING ALARM SOUNDS CONTINUOUSLY WHILE BACKING UP. THIS IS ANNOYING, AND FOR PASSENGERS IN THE BACK IS ACTUALLY EXTREMELY LOUD. TURNING OFF THE ALARM DISABLES THE CAMERA AS WELL, WHICH IS....LESS THAN IDEAL AT LEAST. THE DESIRED MODE SHOULD BE TO TURN OFF THE ALARM WHILE KEEPING THE BACKUP CAMERA ACTIVE DURING THE ENTIRE REVERSING PROCESS. THE BEEPING WILL STOP AUTOMATICALLY ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTS MOVING FORWARD FASTER THAN SOMETHING LIKE 6MPH. HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN AGAIN, IT MAY START A CONTINUOUS TONE ALARM AGAIN DUE TO THIS HITCH ATTACHMENT. PLEASE HELP AUDI REALIZE THAT DISABLING THE CAMERA IS INAPPROPRIATE.