is it of any use?

does anybody use it?

Im not sure if anyone has actually received one with smartgate installed... In which case, no... Nobody uses it lol

There were a couple of people hae added it as options, but I don't think they were expecting the cars yet.

 

By the sounds of it extra hardware is required to retrofit as well.

Constitutes on board WiFi/data connectivity Im pretty sure. Imagine it requires the Bluetooth+ option also, or perhaps its all bundled under one option.

Is it actually available yet as Id have thought it would come in as part of the infotainment refresh due for MY16?

Ok am talking ****e. It basically allows vehicle telemetary to be sent to a compatible iOS/Android device with smartgate capable applications. Its a one way thing (car to device).

IN short it allows yoy to monitor many perameters of the vehicle (efficiency, throttle position, speed etc etc) I guess so you can see the data and make changes to your driving style and how you use the on board equipment to suit.

Seems a bit Big Data to me.....taking countless data feeds from the vehicle, feeding it into an app and making it useful to base decision making on.

Quite clever I suppose....whether id want to pay for it though is another matter.

Also its apparently independant of Mirrorlink.

It has been available as an option in the Uk from MY15.5 onwards.

 

Allegedly there is an additional wireless module under the seat, but this is unconfirmed as of yet

There were a couple of people hae added it as options, but I don't think they were expecting the cars yet.

I should be getting my hands on it within about a month. I'll be sure to write about my findings in due time.

I assume when it mentions "device" that it includes iPads, I have an android phone and I have read mobile data doesn't work when the phone is connected to the car wifi - needed for data exchange.

I use Waze on my phone for traffic updates, this requires a data connection to function, hence the idea of using the tablet.

Can someone tell me if the data is stored on the mobile device for review later, it seems a trifle dangerous to be looking at it whilst driving!

Also is it cumulative?

Finally, in the MY16 catalogue it is still listed as an option at £100, but I get the impression here that it's actually free, which is correct.

I paid £100 for it as an option on MY16 car which is scheduled for a July delivery.

I assume when it mentions "device" that it includes iPads, I have an android phone and I have read mobile data doesn't work when the phone is connected to the car wifi - needed for data exchange.

On an iPhone/iPad mobile data works just fine while connected to the car Wi-Fi.

It has been updated to support WiFi Direct - see my thread here - so with some of the apps you still have a data connection on Android

 

Unfortunately, the Skoda Service App and Skoda Drive App haven't been updated yet for WiFi direct support.

So.... As I don't yet have my car to play with I am filling my time learning about Smartgate.

I get the point that the device connects to a hotspot created by the car, and gets data (lots if it by all accounts).

I have also learned that there are a number of apps and a cloud presence for analysing the data.

Now my question is, does the car store data and push it to the device the next time it logs on to the wifi, or does the device only get updated with data for the duration of the connection.

I get the feeling that if historical journeys made whilst no device is connected are stored in the car ready for transfer at a later date, there could be some awkward questions asked about journeys that were made in directions that you had not said you were going to!!!

I have seen that some of the apps record the journey made (on a map), does this require a GPS connection on the device or does the geo data come from the built in sat nav system?

Out of interest Andy how much faf was it to retrofit mainly as far as the trim needed to get the box in.

 

I did get one in advance, but I may have the option to ask for it fitted as standard now the car has slipped well into MY16. If it is an easy fit I will just stick it in on arrival to save the bother of selling this one and changing the order

 

I obviously have the instructions with the box but it is not clear how much trim needs to come out

You only need to remove the sill trim. It should take about an hour to fit at most. The hardest bit is swapping the pins over in the connector to the CAN Gateway.

So.... As I don't yet have my car to play with I am filling my time learning about Smartgate.

I get the point that the device connects to a hotspot created by the car, and gets data (lots if it by all accounts).

I have also learned that there are a number of apps and a cloud presence for analysing the data.

Now my question is, does the car store data and push it to the device the next time it logs on to the wifi, or does the device only get updated with data for the duration of the connection.

I get the feeling that if historical journeys made whilst no device is connected are stored in the car ready for transfer at a later date, there could be some awkward questions asked about journeys that were made in directions that you had not said you were going to!!!

I have seen that some of the apps record the journey made (on a map), does this require a GPS connection on the device or does the geo data come from the built in sat nav system?

The data is live, all Smartgate does it make the data available from the CANBUS over the wireless connection to the apps.

 

Any app that requires a map will require a data connection as the apps use Google maps on an Android device.

 

I haven't managed to get the media command app to work on mine - I might try coding the Columbus for rear seat entertainment and see if that makes any difference.

You only need to remove the sill trim. It should take about an hour to fit at most. The hardest bit is swapping the pins over in the connector to the CAN Gateway.

 

 

I've just been looking at this on mine, instructions say to remove the seat as well??

 

Any chance of more info on how you did it please?

 

cheers

You don't need to remove the seat - you can feed the wire alongside the existing loom under the carpet

Cheers Andy, Ive taken the sill cover off and can see the wires, was just unsure about access under the seat. The instructions arent that clear (well to me they arent,  )

 

I can see a yellow connector that the seat is plugged into, under the carpet, I guess its that where i connect the smartgate?

 

lol

I stuck the smartgate unit underneath the vizi vest holder as the loom didn't seem to be long enough to put it anywhere else really.

 

You don't need to disconnect anything under the seat as they are the airbag connectors.

 

All the magic happens at the other end at the CAN Gateway behind the steering column

Is this it?

Ffs. I'm looking at it wrong way round.

Yep, you need to bring the loom up through there

I was thinking the connection went there ffs

But it's the module that's under seat lol

Connector behind steering then.

Anyone who has installed Smartgate got it working? Can't get it to connect to my Nexus5 using WiFi direct of bog standard WiFi either. The app just seems to hang on connection?

Anyone retrofit smartgate, May I know if really need to disconnect battery?  I wont be removing the seat either.