Technical Service Bulletin # 911242
Date: 120620
Collision Avoidance - Rearview Backup Camera Image Concerns
91 Rearview backup camera image quality complaints (distorted image)
91 12 42
2029903/1
June 20, 2012.
Affected Vehicles
Condition
The customer complains about the picture quality of rearview backup camera image in the MMI screen. The complaints can be one or allAudi A8L Quattro Sedan (4E8) V8-4.2L (BVJ)
Page 58
of the following:
^ The picture is fuzzy or distorted.
^ The picture looks too bright, too dark, or opaque in certain areas of the image.
^ The colors of the objects in the image are incorrect or slightly off.
^ The guide lines used for parking are fuzzy, distorted, or pixelated when compared with another vehicle.
Technical Background
Complaint 1: The picture is fuzzy or distorted.
Explanation: The wide angle backup camera lens (about 140?) provides a round or curved image (fish-eye). The software inside the MMI
must straighten out this "curved" image to fit the rectangular area of the MMI screen. As a result, the picture from the camera shown in
the MMI screen is less sharp or focused in the corners of the image than compared to the center of the image. This is more noticeable in
vehicles with a larger MMI screen because the image is expanded or "blown up".
Complaint 2: The picture looks too bright, too dark, or opaque in certain areas of the image.
AND
Complaint 3: The colors of the objects in the image are incorrect or slightly off.
Explanation: The backup camera adjusts the image in the MMI screen dynamically in response to the ambient light and tries to find the
optimal representation of brightness, contrast, and color (comparable to the exposure control of a camera). As a result the overall
brightness, contrast, and colors of the backup camera image in the MMI may appear to be different than the actual color seen by the
human eye.
The camera is not equipped with an infrared filter for night time viewing. This also leads to differences in color. The brightness of the
image can be adjusted in the MMI menu for the whole screen for all MMI menus, but color and contrast cannot be changed.Audi A8L Quattro Sedan (4E8) V8-4.2L (BVJ)
Page 59
Complaint 4: The guide lines used for parking are fuzzy, distorted, or pixelated when compared with another vehicle.
Explanation: For vehicles without the Peripheral View Camera (No Top View and No Corner View), the guide lines are pre-stored images
in the MMI memory which are overlaid on top of the rearview camera image at the different steering angles (the guide line images are
masked over the camera image). Due to the large size of some of the MMI screens, the lines appear to be pixelated because they are
"blown up" (Figure 3). For vehicles with the Peripheral View Camera (with Top View and Corner View), the lines are dynamically
generated as vector graphics (scaled) and as a result the lines are sharper or more focused.
Production Solution
Not applicable.
Service
These are normal conditions and no replacements of the backup camera, MMI Screen, MMI Main unit, and the Camera Control unit
should be performed.
Warranty
This TSB is informational only and not applicable to any Audi warranty.
Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with your Parts Department and
service manuals for the latest information.
Date: 120620
Collision Avoidance - Rearview Backup Camera Image Concerns
91 Rearview backup camera image quality complaints (distorted image)
91 12 42
2029903/1
June 20, 2012.
Affected Vehicles
Condition
The customer complains about the picture quality of rearview backup camera image in the MMI screen. The complaints can be one or allAudi A8L Quattro Sedan (4E8) V8-4.2L (BVJ)
Page 58
of the following:
^ The picture is fuzzy or distorted.
^ The picture looks too bright, too dark, or opaque in certain areas of the image.
^ The colors of the objects in the image are incorrect or slightly off.
^ The guide lines used for parking are fuzzy, distorted, or pixelated when compared with another vehicle.
Technical Background
Complaint 1: The picture is fuzzy or distorted.
Explanation: The wide angle backup camera lens (about 140?) provides a round or curved image (fish-eye). The software inside the MMI
must straighten out this "curved" image to fit the rectangular area of the MMI screen. As a result, the picture from the camera shown in
the MMI screen is less sharp or focused in the corners of the image than compared to the center of the image. This is more noticeable in
vehicles with a larger MMI screen because the image is expanded or "blown up".
Complaint 2: The picture looks too bright, too dark, or opaque in certain areas of the image.
AND
Complaint 3: The colors of the objects in the image are incorrect or slightly off.
Explanation: The backup camera adjusts the image in the MMI screen dynamically in response to the ambient light and tries to find the
optimal representation of brightness, contrast, and color (comparable to the exposure control of a camera). As a result the overall
brightness, contrast, and colors of the backup camera image in the MMI may appear to be different than the actual color seen by the
human eye.
The camera is not equipped with an infrared filter for night time viewing. This also leads to differences in color. The brightness of the
image can be adjusted in the MMI menu for the whole screen for all MMI menus, but color and contrast cannot be changed.Audi A8L Quattro Sedan (4E8) V8-4.2L (BVJ)
Page 59
Complaint 4: The guide lines used for parking are fuzzy, distorted, or pixelated when compared with another vehicle.
Explanation: For vehicles without the Peripheral View Camera (No Top View and No Corner View), the guide lines are pre-stored images
in the MMI memory which are overlaid on top of the rearview camera image at the different steering angles (the guide line images are
masked over the camera image). Due to the large size of some of the MMI screens, the lines appear to be pixelated because they are
"blown up" (Figure 3). For vehicles with the Peripheral View Camera (with Top View and Corner View), the lines are dynamically
generated as vector graphics (scaled) and as a result the lines are sharper or more focused.
Production Solution
Not applicable.
Service
These are normal conditions and no replacements of the backup camera, MMI Screen, MMI Main unit, and the Camera Control unit
should be performed.
Warranty
This TSB is informational only and not applicable to any Audi warranty.
Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with your Parts Department and
service manuals for the latest information.
