I’ve always wanted Lane Assist functionality in my car. It gives a glance on self-driving experience in our daily, a bit outdated car. Unfortunately it wasn’t possible for me to get a car already equipped with the camera. I’ll show you how to retrofit Lane/Light/Sign Assist without replacing windscreen.
MQB cars were equipped with two kind’s of camera:
- 5Q0 980 653 – Golf MK7 pre-facelift
- 3Q0 980 654 G – Golf MK7 after facelift
According to some unconfirmed information, it’s not possible to mix camera and ACC radar between facelift and prefacelift car. That’s why I’ve decided to go with old version of camera.
It’s worth to mention that you don’t need ACC to have a Lane Assist camera (and vice versa).
My shopping basket contained:
- 5Q0 980 653 F camera
- Bracket and camera heater taken from a broken windscreen (not required)
- Camera connector with pins
- Golf MK7.5 rear view mirror (from Passat B8 will also be fine) – 3G0857511AG
- Rear view mirror cover with camera cutout – 3G0858548A9B9
- Approx. 40cm 24pin 0.5mm raster FPC TTL cable extension band (found mine on Aliexpress)
- 25pin 0.5mm raster cable adapter (found mine on Aliexpress)
If windscreen replacement is not an issue for you, you can go with that solution. Keep in mind that you will also need to replace mirror and the plastic covers as well.
Mandatory step for this thing to work is static calibration. You can either do it by yourself or use authorized service. Things that you’ll need to perform calibration:
- Calibration board VAS6430
- Service head unit VAS5054
- ODIS software
Calibration board can be downloaded from here – VAS 6430. Print it respecting dimensions presented below:
Connection schema:
Pin 1 – CAN-L to ACC radar
Pin 2 – CAN-L to TIUL point
Pin 4 – Camera heater +
Pin 5 – GND (+ camera heater GND)
Pin 6 – + via fuse
Pin 7 – CAN-H to ACC radar
Pin 8 – CAN-H to TIUL point
Solution 1 – ugly proof of concept
Next step is related to camera installation on a windscreen. first trim your bracket to fit next to the mirror. Then use strong double sided tape (preferably black one) to attach it to the glass. Keep in mind to position it symmetrically to the top of a screen.
Calibration board have to be placed 150cm +/-2cm from the center of the front wheels (symmetrically!). Center of black dots on a white background must be set on the same height as a camera lens (around 120-125cm from ground – depends on a suspension and wheels).
Solution 2 – simple and clean
In order to keep the OEM-like look we will use original cover from light assist mirror. The main idea is to mount the camera lens into rear view mirror and hide the module’s PCB over the ceiling.
You need to disassemble the front assist camera – it’s fixed on four torx screws.
You need around 40cm of extension cable (24pin 0.5mm FPC TTL) to keep it nice and tidy.
In order to preserve stability of this system, you need to precisely measure and prepare T-shaped metal adapter to mount the camera lens to the mirror chasis. Use a screw on the top to fix it together – keep it as as steady and leveled/aligned as possible. You can route the extension cable inside the mirror mount. You will need to use a dremel to make a little more space to pass the cable through the mirror leg.
As I’ve already had the hodler for my 5Q0 camera I’ve glued it to the ceiling, just above the ceiling light. There is plenty of space to fit it. I had to make a cutout in the module case to keep the cable in a straight line.
Light Assist camera is a bit smaller the ours, you will need to do a bit of polishing to make this hole bigger. At the end, carefully attach mirror to the windscreen, connect the camera ribbon to the pcb and make sure that cable won’t be obstructed during regular use.
Installation order:
- Attach the extension cable with an adapter to the camera lens
- Mount the camera lend to the mirror
- Attach the mirror to the windscreen
- Route the cable to the ceiling (use the same path as mirror harness)
- Connect extension cable to the PCB.
- Glue the PCB to the ceiling (make sure to do it right, camera module gets really hot thus some gluing methods may not be heat resistant).
Troubleshooting
- If you are getting camera interference error, that means you haven’t placed the extension cable correctly. Pay attention when connecting the ribbon, as there is only 0.5mm raster – it’s easy to miss-align. I’ve used magnifier to do it.
Calibration procedure have to be done using ODIS:
- Run ODIS-S diagnostic tool
- Click on Diagnosis
- Scan – find A5 camera on the list
- Under A5 camera you will notice calibration error – select it and run diagnosis (first button on the bottom)
- On the next step you’ll need to measure height from ground to the center of each fender.
- Run the calibration.
- In case of error occurrence, you’ll need to adjust calibration board or camera position on screen.
- After successful calibration you’ll see screen as below:
The last part involves VCDS coding. It’s fairly straightforward, you’ll need to adjust coding for ABS, BCM, Steering Assist and Camera itself. At the very end assistants menu will appear on MFD:
Hey, what is the part number for the camera bracket? that you got off a broken windshield?
It’s not available as a spare part
Hy, where to plug these connectors?
J759 – ???
R242 – ???
Z113 – sensor heating?
J533 – BUS?
J759 – ACC Radar
R242 – Front Assist Camera
Z113 – Sensor Heater
J533 – Can Extended (TIUL Point, pin 12/13)
WOW man , thats fantastic mod !! , this is a game changer
i would like to tell me what is the deference from this camera
https://www.kufatec.com/en/all-products/front-camera-for-driver-assistance-systems-mqb-version-2-41405?number=41405
to this
https://bit.ly/2QEcBvg
or these
https://bit.ly/2rod6eE
except for the obvious price diff
I think there is no difference – kufatec has wrong image on their site. All of them comes from facelifted mqb models.
Can you show a picture of the PCB in the other side?
did you use fitting adapters (female) or u solder the extension cable uppon the cameras cable>
Extension cable snaps into the slot (plastic, openable) without need of soldering.
Awesome mod. I’m curious if it can be repeated for Audi A3 or other MQB cars (Passat?). How do you glued / screwed Assist PCB to the roof? (And I do have a sunroof, so its gonna be less room to maneuver)
Yep, It’s possible on any mqb car.
man, you totally blew my mind, together with ACC. before finding your blog I believed these mods were much more difficult, if not impossible. you have my eternal gratitude.
I have of course a couple of questions. I was considering replacing the windshield, but now I would like to try the “Solution 2” 🙂
I already have Light Assist mirror (3G0 857 511 AE) so I wonder if it would be possible to replace the camera in the mirror and fit the Lane assist one. I will look into it.
also, if you go with this solution, don’t you have permanent error flagged because no Z113 heater is connected?
THANK YOU !
Thanks! 5Q0 camera has a possibility to disable the camera heater via Long Coding, so there will be no error at all 🙂
that is great news. I will order a camera right now and start designing the fitment.
can you give me a link for the 40cm cable and the female-female adapter?
THANKS !
Wow! This is truly awesome! I just bought a 2017 Golf Alltrack. It has many of the Driver Assist functions, like ACC, Park Assist, and Park Pilot, but no Lane Assist.
I have the rain sensing wiper option on mine, and it has the larger housing around the mirror because of this. How can I tell if I would need to swap windshields? I’m guessing that my car would fall under “pre-facelift”, based on the changes made to the 2018 model.
Thanks again for an awesome write-up.
Do you have a camera on a windscreen? Just next to the mirror (rain sensor), looking from the outside of the car.
I don’t think I have the camera. The car doesn’t have any lane assist functionality from the factory (US model). Lane assist only came in 2018 models here, I think.
Your post made me excited. I have retrofitted adaptive cruise, side assist, pla 3.0, mmi high, virtual cockpit to my a3 8v. I am only lacking this line change assist stuff. But, I showed your post and re-checked with an vag retrofit expert on this stuff, he says even though It could be calibrated, this should not work properly without the windscreen replacement. Due to the need of blacked area around the camera which is fundamental?
He says only way might be to get the copy of the blacked area pattern from an original car and imitate the blacked area by painting..
What can I say, it works for me for almost a year now 🙂
Is this disassembly procedure working with the new version (3Q0980654)Front camera? Did you disassembly the new version camera? Are the necessary cables the same with the old version? I want to upgrade my Skoda Superb MK3 assistant system.
Do you have the partnumber for the original connector of the unit (CAN / VW cable harness) available?
No body else completed this retrofit?
I’m very interested. I have just bought the camera, the heater and wiring but i can’t find the flex 24pin extention and i haven’t understand how to connect the wiring pins to the bcm..
I have a golf 7 2016 with oem acc and blind spot.
It’s really needed a tutorial! Please
What have you changed in the ABS unit?
There is no text in the long coding
can I mount the 5Q0 980 653 camera – Golf MK7 pre-facelift on my MK 7.5 facelift? I don’t want to CONNECT it to the ACC, does it work individually?
Hello. I sent you mail from Slovenia, I have intention to instal lane assist in passat b8, how could I know wich camera is right for my car, can you help me.I already changed cable and do all connections.
Regards..
So with the 3Q0 980 654 Cameras , the ACC connection is got to be done isn’t it?
i found also that the brown a-pillar 14pins plug got the ACC can High and CAN Low
camera pin 1 >> To CanBus 2 Brown Plug pin 11
camera pin 7 >> To CanBus 2 Brown Plug pin 9
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190104/e10decb20e8ad3e8518c9576e97bd185.jpg
hi, im going to do this mod soon to a b8 passat and i have a couple of questions.
1: do i need the light stalk with the lane assist button or does it work automaticly with the cruise control?
2: should i use a shield to prevent glare the way the camera is back from the glass
3: will sign assist and high beam assist work also
thanks, this post is fantastic well done for coming up with the idea
hey all, I completed the retrofit by replacing the windshield. it got hit by a rock on the highway and the insurance company paid for the replacement.
of course I had the glass company install the camera version, and heated too 🙂
camera was calibrated this morning and all is working perfectly 🙂
Do you know the part number of the internal mirror for the lane assist wind-screen?
Hi could you re-post the link to download the Calibration board VAS6430, please?
Hi,
My Tiguna comes with the camera 5Q0 955 547. Actually not sure if thats a camera or only the Rain and Light sensor. Do you know if I need a new camera for Lane Assist? I didnt see in your shopping cart the A5 module like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Audi-Assist-Master-Control-8K0907566B/dp/B01BGW37J6. Is it not needed?
Thanks.
buenas donde estan estos cables para conectarlos, tengo todo solo me falta conectar los cables
Esquema de conexión:
Pin 1 – CAN-L al radar ACC
Pin 2 – CAN-L al punto TIUL
Pin 4 – Calentador de cámara +
Pin 5 – GND (+ calentador de cámara GND)
Pin 6 – + mediante fusible
Pin 7 – CAN-H al radar ACC
Pin 8 – CAN-H al punto TIUL
Can you post the Module ABS- 03 coding for this lane assist, please.
Nice job.
Hello,
Tkank you for your post.
I’ve followed it to retrofit the camera on my Golf7 (2013) with ACC.
I’ve installed the camera 5Q0980653F very carefully thanks to all tips I get from here.
Now using VCDS I’m facing the error “Request Sequence Error” once I’m trying to perform the static calibration.
Detecting the calibration board is successful.
I’ve read a lot on many forums but could not found what is this error and how to get rid of it.
Maybe do you have an idea guys here?
Thank you
Not sure about VCDS but with Obdeleven you need to enter the values for distances in the adaption such as distance between the base wheel and the board, distance from the floor to the camera… the height of each wheel, even just saving the same value by clicking save and then clicking on calibration it will work.
just try to do step by step before clicking on calibration, that maybe the reason.
Hi Slin, did you find the solution for your problem? I have exactly the same problem.
Great write up! It’s fantastic to see people taking retrofits into their own hands and doing write ups to help others!
Do you know if this process is similar for a 2015 Skoda Octavia? I’ve already got ACC but no camera for Lane assist. I’ve also looked into Open Pilot which has peaked my interest in getting lane assist on my vRS!
Hello, thanks. Process is the same for every MQB car, including O3.
The cable been used to the front assist camera, can I use this for the retrofit, or do I need to purchase another cable
Hello, could you please explane the wires passing and the conection? Do you know about any video explainig ? Thanks
Super interesting! Would it be possible to fit a lane assistant to a vw transporter, the t5 or t6? It is built on another planform as far as I can tell, but maybe it still is possible somehow?
Kind regards
Hi, any news about the camera for the facelift? do you think 20cm is enough to keep the board hidden in the ceiling?
Great work! Congrats. If I have a golf mk7.5 and want to do the same upgrade, which camera should I get? Which ones do not need swap code for activation?
Hello. I’m setting up lane assist for Octavia 3 FL and I have a question for the creator. Is there a difference in the way the camera is connected in cars with before and after facelift? It’s the electrical diagram. Regards.