my destination.skoda-auto.com uses mapdata from Here. This service is administrative tool for Columbus and Amundsen navigation systems

Maybe all live data to carsystems come from there, too, because VAG is one of the owners since 2015.

 

Because I have the aux heater, then the Connect Service is useful to start the heating/ventilation using the phone. The remote has very limited working distance. Only for that reason it is worth of paying.

Edited 27 January, 20197 yr by Grumpy Finn

53 minutes ago, john999boy said:

I've got the Columbus with the inbuilt SIM so can't comment on how good the Amundsen is but I can't really see it getting any 'lesser' traffic information.

As for the 'traffic conditions', who's to know if it's going to be good or bad, before or during a journey?

 

The comparison looks great.

 

What I meant by "better for heavy traffic", is that not everyone is living in a place where traffic jams are common during the day or can be easily avoided during the peak-hours. In such cases, the real-time traffic data doesn't help much, because you know it by heart.

 

What I meant by "directed at Columbus users", is not that the traffic data is any different on Amundsen, but that the type of a person who finds Columbus to be a worthy upgrade is likely to find the infotainment subscription worth the money, too.

 

At least for me it's that way. Either I go for the best the car infotainment has to offer and pay for it, or replace it with Android Auto completely and pay for nothing. Otherwise I am just left with a mixed bag.

Edited 27 January, 20197 yr by Guest

12 minutes ago, pa_ko said:

How do you mean: convenience' of not having to connect your phone each journey?

To get the phone Google Maps info to display on your car you need to connect it with a cable whereas the inbuilt SIM connects automatically.

Nobody has yet confirmed if the Karoq has the SIM slot or not so that might bias opinion one way or the other.

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer RTTI to be free as that's the only benefit I use but it isn't going to break the bank is it. 

there isn't a sim card option with the Amundsen model.

I have a Karoq 'Edition' that has the larger screen display and 2 SD slots and a sim slot in the glove box - I have a 1yr sim card from 3 (i think) that gives me 1gig a month data only - which cost 20someit quid for the year.

 

That reminds me anyone know any good pay upfront data only deals?

5 hours ago, yosser65 said:

That reminds me anyone know any good pay upfront FREE data only deals?

 

Have a look here:-

 

So - if you don't renew the service is there any point in having a sim in the car - what do you get with it if you don't have the Connect subscription?

41 minutes ago, Mph25 said:

So - if you don't renew the service is there any point in having a sim in the car - what do you get with it if you don't have the Connect subscription?

 

I can't verify it myself, but I believe the call buttons (especially for emergency) should still work. What you will definitely lose, is the access to Škoda Connect phone app.

32 minutes ago, onvo said:

 

I can't verify it myself, but I believe the call buttons (especially for emergency) should still work. What you will definitely lose, is the access to Škoda Connect phone app.

I can live without that! 

Just had my renewal through for Skoda connect ,l can’t realy see a reason to renew the sat nav programming was ok but a bit of a faf really and all the service info you can get direct from the car 

I have a WiFi dongle in the car so can get up dates and poi 

I think Skoda have missed a trick or two I resently had a look at a friends new A class and the app she’s got Allows you to lock the car gives its location how much fuel in tank tyre pressures and more 

I think the Skoda system is a white Eliphant  

Edited 9 February, 20197 yr by patrolman

16 minutes ago, patrolman said:

 

I think Skoda have missed a trick or two I resently had a look at a friends new A class and the app she’s got Allows you to lock the car gives its location how much fuel in tank tyre pressures and more 

I think the Skoda system is a white Eliphant  

The Skoda Connect app for the Kodiaq lets you check the vehicle location shown on Google maps and is very accurate , check doors are locked, see how much fuel is left and estimated range, when service is due, driving data for any day since car was new. And if you can’t find car in a car park you can honk the horn and flash the lights. 

Does the Karoq not have these functions?

Edited 9 February, 20197 yr by Kenny R

8 minutes ago, Kenny R said:

The Skoda Connect app for the Kodiaq lets you check the vehicle location shown on Google maps and is very accurate , check doors are locked, see how much fuel is left and estimated range, when service is due, driving data for any day since car was new. And if you can’t find car in a car park you can honk the horn and flash the lights. 

Does the Karoq not have these functions?

if it does I havent found it I've got the parking assistant!

Edited 9 February, 20197 yr by patrolman

Did you pay 'only' £44 or the full amount for all the features?

Mine only came with the infotainment part of the app, when it does decide to work I can send navigation to it, set the dealer and that's about it, waste of space and not worth it, will not be renewing 

1 hour ago, Kenny R said:

The Skoda Connect app for the Kodiaq lets you check the vehicle location shown on Google maps and is very accurate , check doors are locked, see how much fuel is left and estimated range, when service is due, driving data for any day since car was new. And if you can’t find car in a car park you can honk the horn and flash the lights. 

Does the Karoq not have these functions?

Our Karoq has these functions.

And it has option to start the aux heater/ventilation. Have started the heater couple of times (when owned the car a week).

Edited 9 February, 20197 yr by Grumpy Finn

I know this is a huge thread revival, but feel it’s worth adding something here. Also, I don’t wish to tell you stuff you may or may not already know. I just want to help you out.

 

So connect is indeed “old tech” within the VWG, first being seen in Audi’s, then filtering into Volkswagens, then in 2017 it was placed into the Kodiaq as a standard, plus any cars which ran Amundsen or Columbus had infotainment online. 
 

Before MIB 3.0 (latest infotainment system first seen in Scala and Kamiq), there was a built in SIM card and box, about the size of an original Game Boy located near the steering coloumn. This has a battery in there just in case there are any issues, which has a shelf life for 5 years. The box itself lasts for the “lifetime of the car”. It’s funny as this changed from 14 years to 9. Can anyone say “planned obsolescence”? 🤣

 

Back on point, although Connect is split into 2 sections, Care Connect and Infotainment Online. Care Connect is split into two other sections, Proactive Services and Remote Access.

 

The SOS button is a standard that all manufacturers have to adhere to by April 2018. Wicked system, works with Bosch call centres in Spain and Germany (like Mercedes Me Connect system did back in the day) and works like a force information room for the emergency services. They will speak to you in your native language based on the language on your infotainment system. Simple. Two people are at the end of the blower, one talking to you, the other poised to call which service you need. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN UP TO GET THIS. As long as the car is PDI’d, it will work. It’s excellent and I’ve seen it help in situations, even not being directly involved. Beats a mobile phone, especially getting details of location, as It sends location, direction of travel and occupants in the vehicle to the call centre already. Epic stuff.

The rest, you have to sign up for. Proactive services last FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. The best part of this is the Service Scheduling. The car sends out details to your preferred service partner (look at the app or portal to choose) and prior to your service light coming on in the car, they know what the car needs, it’s level or service and if the cars dash is lit up like a Disney World fireworks display. How does this help us though as punters? Well, they can order parts in, and allot time to know how long exactly the car will take to be serviced. It adds efficiency to it all.

 

Remote Access is either one year, or three years for free. The difference is if the car came with it as standard. Up until April 2018, Škoda only had two cars which came with care connect as standard; Kodiaq and Superb. These came with Remote Access free for one year. Any other car was an option (bar the citigo), and it cost £400 as a factory build. This also gave users access free for three years. A quick way to see if your car Care Connect? The SOS, Breakdown and Information Call buttons on the roof.

 

Infotainment Online is only available on cars with Nav, so that’s just Amundsen and Columbus. This is a source of information on the go you never knew you needed until you had it, such as online traffic (I found as good as google when I used it for work), fuel prices, parking spaces, POI searches using Google, route and destination imports too. You won’t use it all the time, however depending on your driving use it could very well come in handy. Free for a year. Now with MIB 3 you don’t need to use tethering or an external SIM card. It all works with the SIM card built in.

 

Is it worth it? Well, you get a lot of stuff free for a period of time. You can trial it out. If it comes in handy? Awesome! If it doesn’t? Awesome! That’s the whole point of tech really isn’t it. Convenience.

 

Infotainment online for me was a clincher. Data use was minimal, and being out on the road as a Menu holder salesman meant that I was comfortable knowing fuel wasn’t a challenge to find, parking was easy with seasonal holidays (F’n Christmas is an ache, especially when “she” wants to do a city for shopping) and online traffic. Anything was better than TMC, but it’s reaction time was blessed.

 

If we look at other VWG brands, such as Audi, they now have access to your emails, read out RSS feeds (pointless before unless conversation was redundant for your passenger) train times and flight times. All stuff that matters with quarantined life. 😂

 

Any other questions you have, I aim to assist.

 

Ed

On 04/02/2019 at 20:21, onvo said:

 

I can't verify it myself, but I believe the call buttons (especially for emergency) should still work. What you will definitely lose, is the access to Škoda Connect phone app.

 

The SOS function operates independently to the glovebox mounted data SIM card.

 

There is a hidden SIM that is dedicated to the SOS feature.

Having recently replaced my wife's trusty old Yeti with a 2-year old Karoq 'Edition' with Columbus, I've registered it with Connect. However, as Connect now requires a subscripton, I'm inclined not to go for it as I can't see my wife using it much - if at all.

 

Therefore, is there any point in placing a data sim card in the Columbus slot? My understanding is that the sim is required to get Connect functionality and that's all. If I don't want Connect, am I missing out on any other feature by not having a sim in there?

 

I have got a free 200mb/month 'Three' sim but, unless I'm missing something, I can't see what good it would be!

 

Unless you know differently.......

Nope, if you're not planning to subscribe to Skoda Connect (I don't blame you by the way, its rubbish), then there is no point inserting a data SIM card.

Thanks Silver for your quick reply confirming my sim thoughts.

 

Whilst I'm here can I draw on your knowledge and ask another question? My Karoq Edition has a sun roof so the overhead panel is taken up its controls and a few lights - no SOS button. How do I make an SOS call should i ever have to ?

 

Here...

 

Thanks again Silver. Hopefully this picture will explain what you probably thought was a stupid question re the SOS button! I don't have one - mine's a Feb 2018 build so maybe it wasn't compulsory then and not specc'ed by the original owner. ?

 

 

Ah, sorry, yes I should have checked.

 

The in-car SOS system became mandatory from March 2018, so it looks like your build was a month early...

 

 

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/eu-ecall-emergency-car-crashes 

On 11/04/2020 at 13:44, GladysFriday said:

Thanks again Silver. Hopefully this picture will explain what you probably thought was a stupid question re the SOS button! I don't have one - mine's a Feb 2018 build so maybe it wasn't compulsory then and not specc'ed by the original owner. ?

 

 

Strange how you're car missed out on the SOS button etc, mine was built 20/11/2017 (registered 01/2018) and has the three overhead buttons.

Westie - maybe our cars were built in different factories or on different lines in the same factory - one of which had been changed over to the new spec? Who knows??