Volkswagen Connect
06.07.2018
'The connected car, part of a brave new world.' This is how some technology fans think who cannot or do not want to afford a new car A target group that VW has identified for itself.
The manufacturer is now selling the data plug, a connector for the OBD (on-board diagnosis) interface of the car, through the accessories department of its dealerships. The station costs 39.50 euros. In conjunction with a smartphone app, which is available for iPhones and Android-based devices, the digital world of connectivity is moving into the car and the life of the driver. The data transfer between the data plug and the smartphone takes place via Bluetooth.
OBD connector communicates with smartphone app
The app called Volkswagen Connect can then be used to access vehicle data such as the level the fuel tank, the battery voltage or the mileage, and there is information about the remaining distance until the next inspection Faults in the vehicle electronics can also be displayed and, if you agree, transmitted directly to the workshop 'over the air'.
In everyday life, a memory function for the current position is more practical. If you park the car in a strange city - or after countless laps in the vicinity of your own inner city apartment - you can use your smartphone to navigate back to the parked car.
After driving off, the system records the distances covered and that Driving behavior. If necessary, tips for more environmentally conscious driving can be called up. For the play instinct, tasks are also being planned that must be mastered anonymously in remote duels with other drivers.
Connectivity for cars built from 2008 onwards
The data plug and the Volkswagen Connect app offer the Wolfsburg for almost all models of the brand from the year of construction 2008. In the case of the Polo, the offer is only valid for cars built after 2010. The first two generations of the Touareg and the Phaeton are completely left out.
It remains to be seen whether the system will catch on with drivers of older models. The advantage for VW and its dealers is obvious. Above all, with the error readout function and the possibility of transmitting this directly to the workshop, drivers of older models can also be linked back to their own service network. According to the company, the potential is at least 10 million cars.
