Audi selected Hella Electronics Corp. to supply a radar-based lane-change warning system for the 2007 Audi Q7 SUV. The system, known as the Audi Side Assist, determines objects in the vehicle's blind spot. The system also recognizes objects not visible in the rear-view mirror.

When a vehicle enters the Audi Q7 SUV's range of vision, a subtle, yellow vertical light strip illuminates on the corresponding side-view mirror. In addition, when the driver activates a turn signal, to indicate an intention to change lanes and a vehicle is in a neighboring lane, the driver will receive a warning in the side mirror. The vehicle's vertical light strip will flash.

The lane-change assistant has two 24 GHz radar sensors with a range of 164-feet integrated into the vehicle's bumper. The system functions regardless of the weather conditions.

"If vehicles are unseen when changing lanes, this can have fatal consequences," said Dr. Martin Fischer, president of Hella Electronics Corporation. "The lane-change assistant developed by Hella and Audi reduces that risk considerably." The lane-change assistant monitors neighboring lanes when the vehicle reaches 35 miles per hour.