Frankst237

BarneyBoy, if you get some sense from the dealer (good luck with that - they have the same problems we do because of constantly changing versions and apps) then it would be good to post it here. Just an addition to this thread. At the end of October the car had an annual service at local main dealer. Apparently it needed a software update which was installed. Just what I didn't need in terms of Android Auto!!!!!! Previously, the system had somehow been set up so that when I pushed the APP selection on the car screen panel, TomTom Go opened on the display. As I said before I prefer this to the Skoda navigation and Google maps. After the software update, when I press the APP selection, it opens Google Maps and (I believe from the internet) there is no way to change this default of Google maps. I then find myself wandering about the screen trying to simply FIND TomTom Go link and start it - just what is needed when trying to drive. Does anyone else wonder "who are these children who have been brought up with smartphones who design these monsters AND do they actually do any driving when trying to operate their Frankenstein creations????" Also, why should us customers have to repeatedly go to our dealers (at our expense) to have this stuff explained / corrected / reset / etc. Yes - SatNavs are VERY useful for navigation and giving notice of congestion / accidents but the rest of it??? Anyway, good luck. I cannot send you a personal message (PM) because I don't have enough post contributions but if you want to share in a personal chat then (if you can) send me a PM and we can perhaps share ideas. Regards, Frank

Hello thamestrader, I am planning to change mobile provider in a few months when my current O2 contract runs out so am already looking for suitable plans. This latest "adventure" has been to explore what can / could be done with a MiFi device because (as I said in my original post) "my brain hurt" after trying to get it to work when it should have been (and actually is) a fairly simple process. I will make a decision on what to do when I get to that point. Regards, Frank

Thanks again to RCC49 - once set out clearly it is straightforward and I think I have done what I wanted to do. To possibly help others, a few things have clicked together in my brain (I think) while I have been playing with this. My car system (in the WiFi settings screen in the car) is set up to be used as a Hotspot i.e. available to supply a WiFi connection in the car to any WiFi devices in the car (phones / tablets / laptops etc.) The Hotspot name is something like Skoda4799. This made me think a bit about what I thought were problems last week. I believe the way this was working (following on from what I have learned and done) is that: I get in the car with my phone connecting to the internet via the SIM / mobile data on the SIM (for me a low data allowance) I switch on Android Auto and the phone connects wirelessly to the car using the car as a Hotspot This appears to mean that there is a whole load of TRANSMIT / RECEIVE activity going on in the phone - hence the phone battery takes a real hammering and discharges quickly (also drained by the TomTom GO navigation app). What I now have (I believe) is The car connecting to the internet via the MiFi device. The phone connects to the car via the car Hotspot (switched on by activating Android Auto) This MIGHT (yet to test thoroughly on a journey) mean that there is less data TRANSMIT / RECEIVE via the phone hence extending the battery life (while using the MiFi device and its battery). We will see. Thanks to all who contributed - I am not claiming to be any sort of expert in this but I (with everyone's help) arrived where I think I want to be. As a general comment, it is great to have a forum like this to seek help from other people who know more stuff than I do with those people willing to take the time and trouble to help. Regards, Frank

All, Wow - the question generated a fair bit of information along with varying answers so thank you to everyone who responded. Yes - the concern I have is a limited (read CHEAP) data allowance on my phone SIM but (Like RCC49) I have a stand alone MiFi device to provide me with a mobile WiFi data connection for phones and laptops when away from home and using fair amounts of data. This setup suits me for what I do and the (like RCC49) low cost Three data SIM in the MiFi "just works" for me. In all this, it looks like the solution from RCC49 should be the most relevant for me and as such I would like to discuss / chat a bit further with them. Hence: Understanding that when I collected the car, the dealer connected the car to my Samsung phone, if I now want to do what RCC49 explained, how would I go about "unlinking" (if that is the right word) my phone and then linking to a stand alone MiFi device? How much re-connnection would be needed to make sure that the Skoda provided services (3 years total with a newish car) still all works. I am reasonably IT literate but finding the right screen to do anything on the in-car system seems overly complex. The next question would be "Do I simply then connect my phone to the MiFi device (for a WiFi connection) with the phone then "automatically" sending the Tom Tom Go navigation data from the phone to the car display screen?" Are there any other extra steps or should it really be just as simple as that? Going forward from the first connection, I guess that each time I use the car, I would need to start the MiFi device (just for convenience let's say I kept it with the car keys) before leaving the house so that when I settle in the car both it and the phone would connect to the MiFi and away I go again. If this is the answer then that would appear to be what I am chasing. YES I realise it feels complicated but IF IT WORKS then I will try it and it is then maybe available for other people. Thanks again to all who originally replied, Frank

My brain hurts - I am trying to understand how Android Auto and the on board Skoda Amundsen system connect to my phone via Bluetooth and / or WiFi. CAN AYONE EXPLAIN PLEASE??? I am reasonably IT literate but I am baffled by this. A few points about what works for me and what does not: I can connect my phone (Samsung Galaxy S23 - so fairly modern phone on an O2 SIM only package) to the Amundsen system in my 2024 Karoq. I can use my TomTom Go app for navigation because I find it better than the Skoda one - personal preference perhaps. When I take the phone to the car, I have Bluetooth(BT) switched on and when it all connects and starts, the BT is connected AND the phone tells me that it is connected to Skoda 47** via WiFi. I thought that the two were ONLY connected by Bluetooth - so why the WiFi connection?? The O2 SIM only plan has a small data allowance so I have tried connecting the phone to the internet by using a MiFi device (small, portable 5G router) in which there is a THREE network SIM card with loads of data. As soon as the phone connects to the car, the WiFi connection to the MiFi device is killed and replaced by a connection to Skoda 47**. Why does this happen - again I state that I thought the data connection would be via Bluetooth and NOT any WiFi connection. I have tried manually over-riding the situation to force the phone to use the THREE MiFi device but EVERY time it switched to the Skoda 47**. I have tried switching Mobile Data off in the phone and all that happens is that there is no data available and Android Auto does not work in the car. If someone out there does have a good understanding of what is connecting to what and why it would be good to know. If there is a sensible, usable way to do what I want that would be great. Anyone want to offer an explanation / solution? Thanks in advance, Frank

Hello anyone who is getting updates to this post - The problem is now resolved with the dashcam connected to an "ignition on" fuse in the fusebox, actually number 55 which is shown as Not Used in the handbook and indeed was empty in my fusebox. I must have been having a REALLY bad day when I could not make it go to plan earlier this week. All I can think of is that my CPU overheated in the warm weather and started doing weird things when trying to find a NOT permanently live feed. A bit cooler today and a really simple job (that I supposedly had done earlier this week) to find a (preferably) empty fuse holder that was not live when ignition off. Anyway, job all done and again, thanks to the people who replied and maybe others who thought about it but did not respond. My fault entirely. Regards, Frank

Pete, I will check this out in full this week so thank you very much for the reply. Quick question - how do you know this? Is there a source that you have or just experience? Thanks again, Frank

Hello, 1st post from new member so if this has been answered then apologies. I have fitted a Nextbase 422GW that I removed from my last car. The physical stuff went OK until I got to the power feed from the fusebox. On previous cars, when the ignition key is removed from the switch, many of the fuses are simply dead - they only activate when the ignition is on i.e. they are NOT permanently live. I tried to find one of these in the fusebox by choosing suitable fuses for equipment that is clearly OFF when the ignition is off AND is not part of the safety critical series of fuses (in case the dashcam goes bang and takes the system out) such as the left hand electric windows. EVERY fuse position that I tried (by taking out the original fuse and pushing the nextbase "piggy back" connector into the fuse position but without adding the original fuse (to be replaced when I had sorted a suitable fuse position) made the dashcam power up and start to charge / work i.e. they were live WITHOUT THE IGNITION BEING SWITCHED ON AND THE KEY REMOVED FROM THE SWITCH. I find this most odd but the only conclusion I can reach is that the car electrical systems have now become more sophisticated and (for example) the electric windows have power supplied via the fusebox (on a permanently live basis) but only go live when the ignition is switched on controlled by the system downstream of the fuse / fusebox. The dealer gave me the fuse numbers that they use to wire dashcams and the result is the permanent live fuse. The net result (and it was the same with EVERY fuse positon that I tried) is that I cannot find a fuse position that is NOT pemanently live hence it suppies power at all times to the dashcam. I spoke to Nextbase who suggested that the dashcam should be in Parking Mode in which it powers down but then monitors vibration - it would switch on and record for 5 minutes if for example something hit the parked car - this does use a very small amount of power 24 hours a day. I have done this but I really wanted a NOT permanently live fuse position - Is there one or have I guessed right that ALL the fuses are permanently live with the downstream electrical control systems managing the individual pieces of equipment? Thoughts and advice clearly welcome from someone who understands modern Skoda electrickery better than I do!!! Thanks, Frank