I have just activated Smartlink on my car (MIB2 Amundsen) and am using a Huawei E5220 Mobile Hotspot device to provide in car WiFi with an EE SIM card. This has given me a year's free "Infotainment online" - most of which I probably won't use - although the Traffic feature could be useful on long journeys if it is properly updated. The car also has Mirrorlink capability, Android Auto and Apple Car Play which suggests that I have a SmartLink+ system.

 

According to what I have read on the Skoda website the SmartLink+ system includes the SmartGate function enabling remote connection via a smartphone to the car using Wi-Fi to access data on board like driving economy, vehicle location, driving dynamics and service information. However, as I do not have a SIM slot in the glove box I was wondering if it is possible to use my WiFi hotspot in some way to access remote data. So far I am unable to find the answer to that. Earlier Octavia's (up to 05/2017) could have a SmartGate unit retrofitted.

 

So far I have only been able to use the "MySkoda" Android App to see where my car is (parking assistance) as long as the WiFi is running which is quite useful.

 

I am wondering if my vehicle does indeed have SmartGate capability and if so how I can tap into it - or if not might there be another way to gain remote access ?

 

Thanks in anticipation of some useful replies here.

 

 

Edited 10 August, 20187 yr by Welsh Boyo
Added inof about the "MySkoda" App.

The "MySkoda" app doesn't use remote access to locate a parked car after all.  It saves the location manually if the user records it in the app before leaving the vehicle. Obviously  that can be done with any decent navigation app so it's not a particularly useful feature.

 

What I’ve found really useful is the coloured over-laying of traffic info on main roads on the satnav when you connect the phone.

 

It looks the same as the way Google maps shows traffic, so think it may use their database and is much better than TMC.

 

Having to manually connect every time before connecting via CarPlay (iPhone) is a bit boring, but hey, can live with that for a very useful feature

 

Cheers,

 

Nick

The remote access only works if you’ve either got a SIM card in the car or one of the car stick things. I’m my experience even if you hotspot from your phone, you won’t see any of this data in the Skoda connect app or portal. The only way to see this data is if you’ve paid for care connect separately plus using a SIM card or car stick.  By far the best option is to use the Skoda One App, which allows you to record all your journeys and see data about it (rpm, costs, power etc). 

 

Personally it doesn’t bother me not being able to see the stays of your car from an app, because leaving something like your car connected to the internet 24/7 is just asking for trouble. 

 

 

Thanks for that information Gumby - now off to find the Skoda One App

On 10/08/2018 at 15:49, Welsh Boyo said:

The car also has Mirrorlink capability, Android Auto and Apple Car Play which suggests that I have a SmartLink+ system.

That is what the original basic SmartLink gave. The other stuff you talk about is presumably what's been added to create SmartLink+ on facelifted cars.