Skoda connect - is the car always online?

[PeePay]

Hello guys,

I recently bought a new Scala (I know I am in Karoq forum, read my post till the end) and it is always online, meaning that even when it is parked and locked, I can go to my Skoda Connect app, see the range info, see whether it is locked, honk the horn, flash the lights, unlock it remotely, etc...

Now, my dad just bought a new Karoq and he is not very tech savvy and wants me to set all the "digital stuff" up - so, should I expect the same behavior from Karoq that I am used to from Scala? Will the car be always online, be able to unlock it remotely, etc...?

Thanks!

[CJJE]

It depends whether he paid £400 for the Skoda Connect Option!

[PeePay]

Thanks @CJJE, however, I am not in the UK, so the option packages are bundled differently and called differently here.

He has something called "Care Connect and Infotainment Online", but I am not sure whether it only works when you connect the car to the internet e.g. via your phone's hotspot, or whether the car can connect on its own, anytime.

Anyway, am I understanding your answer correctly, that there indeed is an option for Karoq to be online on its own?

[CJJE]

In the UK, according to other threads I've been studying to spec my new Karoq, If you pay £400 for the first year of Care Connect etc you get an emergency button that will work using an in-built SIM in the car. To get the full infotainment extras you then need to add a data SIM (and renew the subscriptions to Skoda every year. If you have the Columbus infotainment system there is a SIM socket in the glovebox, but if you have the Amundsen then you end up with a stick poking out of the USB socket in front of the gearlever. (I didn't fancy this, or adding the Columbus to my Sportline, so have not pursued the option for my car).

 

I have the VW Connect app connected to my Golf at present, which communicates with a DataPlug in the car's diagnostic socket. I'm hoping that I'll be able to use that in the Karoq if necessary to connect to the Skoda Connect app, but time will tell. In practice I hardly ever use it, unless I can remember where I parked my car! And the last time I lost it was in the depths of an underground car park with several different entrances so it probably wouldn't have worked there anyway!

 

Chris 

[xman]

Last time I looked, Skoda Connect and Infotainment online was free for 1 year when buying a new car, however you must register within 3 months of registration of the car to get this. 

After it runs out its about £70 per year renewal subscription, you dont have to take both elements so can be cheaper.

 

IMO its not worth more than £5 per year and I'm pretty sure my dealer gets access to all my data which I object to.

 

It all here

https://www.skoda-auto.com/world/skoda-connect

 

https://www.skoda-connect.com/

 

Ecall (emergency SOS button/function) is free for the lifetime of the car. (as required by EU directives)

 

Remember if your car infotainment system has Android Auto or Apple carplay, you have much better apps available for free.

 

 

 

 

Edited 2 June, 2020 by xman

[CJJE]

In the Skoda Karoq pricelist:

Care Connect 3 years and Infotainment online 1 year. On SE this is only available in combination with Amundsen satellite navigation and
Bluetooth with WLAN is a £400 option. The Emergency button is a free option -- but only if you buy Care Connect! 

 

As other threads have explored, the EU directive only applies to cars type approved since 2018, not made since 2018 (so the Karoq is not required to have it provided by EU law). And having just inspected new Karoqs in a showroom, I can confirm that none of them had the Emergency button fitted.

 

Chris

Edited 2 June, 2020 by CJJE

[PeePay]

Thank you all.

I don't think he will be willing to pay for a data SIM card and have a dongle sticking out, he would only seldom use the feature if it was built-in and worked out of the box, let alone when further steps are necessary.

So thanks again for explaining the options.

[silver1011]

The thread title did make me chuckle.

 

Skoda Connect is rarely online, if it isn't down for maintenance, hasn't fallen over, isn't broken then it'll still not work properly.

 

I always found it quite extraordinary that Skoda charged a subscription fee after the first free year, but to read that it's now a factory cost option i.e. they're expecting people to pay for it amazes me.

[MrAdamwood]

If care connect wasn’t specc’d for £400 you only get a years free infotainment online. Which needs a phone to be a hotspot. 

[PeePay]

2 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Skoda Connect is rarely online, if it isn't down for maintenance, hasn't fallen over, isn't broken then it'll still not work properly.

 

Well luckily I didn't have any issue yet with connecting to my Scala.

[Jokersu]

what infotainment you have on the scale and what services are available to you. I have a kamiq and a bolero. They say I can’t have care connect Remote Access if I have a bolero

[BigLes]

I have a February 2019 Karoq SEL (2018 build I think).  I don't subscribe to the Connect service and I don't have a dongle in the OBD socket and yet the Skoda Connect app on my phone always shows me up to date info on fuel range, trip distance and time, windows & doors locked status and where the car is located, etc.  I asked my Skoda dealer about this and they said there is a hidden dongle that enables the car to talk to the phone app at all times.

[PeePay]

25 minutes ago, Jokersu said:

what infotainment you have on the scale and what services are available to you. I have a kamiq and a bolero. They say I can’t have care connect Remote Access if I have a bolero

I have the 8" Bolero and have Care Connect Remote Access.

Edited 2 July, 2020 by PeePay

[Jokersu]

Thanks for the information
solve the problem of remote access Care Connect that has not worked for two weeks and now they have found a great solution
You cannot do this service because you have a Bolero
I took over Kamiq in early June

[DSL]

Slight diversion but does the DataPlug widget give me anything that the various Skoda apps on my iPhone via CarPlay doesn’t?  I’ve got a big basic 2020 Karoq SE so no fancy systems, pre-registered so no extra Connect services added.  
 

The app (Connected Lite) doesn’t want to go past this stage:

 

 

 

[Kenny R]

40 minutes ago, DSL said:

Slight diversion but does the DataPlug widget give me anything that the various Skoda apps on my iPhone via CarPlay doesn’t?  I’ve got a big basic 2020 Karoq SE so no fancy systems, pre-registered so no extra Connect services added.  
 

The app (Connected Lite) doesn’t want to go past this stage:

 

 

 

Do you have a data plug? 
If you do press I have a data plug and you’ll have to insert the code to proceed. 
VW data plugs are available on eBay for around £5, certainly not worth paying Skoda £40 for.

To be honest it’s not even worth paying £5 for a data plug Skoda connect lite is pretty rubbish, just like  the fully paid version.

[33q]

15 minutes ago, DSL said:

Slight diversion but does the DataPlug widget give me anything that the various Skoda apps on my iPhone via CarPlay doesn’t?  I’ve got a big basic 2020 Karoq SE so no fancy systems, pre-registered so no extra Connect services added.  
 

The app (Connected Lite) doesn’t want to go past this stage:

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, DSL said:

 

I have the data plug and it works really well

 

I bought mine off eBay for £4.95....two days later I bought a second for my wife's Arona and it was £6.95!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-VW-Volkswagen-Data-Plug-Connectivitiy-Connect-Bluetooth-Smartphone-OBD/274299034260?epid=22034364228&hash=item3fdd7f1a94:g:rYsAAOSw6NNeY6QQ

 

Mine is VW branded but I think all the VAG ones are the same 

 

I didn't buy the £400 package from new but I do run a mifi dongle from the power socket in the boot for use with the subscribed connect services. It's a clumsy system but it does work. It's not really worth £40 per year but I thought i'd give it a second try as a lockdown project.

 

The MIFI in the boot connects automatically and the car power keeps the internal battery charged so it's always on and it gives a WLAN in the car

 

The Skoda Connect features are very limited. I can send a destination to the SatNav but I have never managed to get it to record trip details (like Connect Lite) that I understand it should do. 

[DSL]

@KENNY R: No, don’t have one.   From what I could see it didn’t give me anything my phone didn’t via the USB, just wanted to see if I was missing something.  Still getting to grips with what’s on the car. 👍

 

 

 

[Jokersu]

The factory claims that my Kamiq with Boler does not have remote access to the skoda connection, although my dealer claimed to have it when I received the offer.
perhaps something like this should be considered

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OBD-II-GPS-Real-Time-Tracker-Car-Van-GSM-16-Pin-OBD2-Tracking-Device-GPS-Locator/174334343344?epid=11026959802&hash=item289722f8b0:g:tzEAAOSwgDle~GAO

[CJJE]

Update:

 

Glad I didn't spend £400 on the option when I specced a MY20 Karoq... as it's now included for free on MY21 Karoqs! The eCall is provided for life on an inbuilt SIM, the Proactive Services (to report accidents or breakdowns, book a service etc) is free for 10 years, and the Remote Access and Infotainment Services are free for the 1st year. 

 

But it's not clear how you update the satnav without buying the Infotainment Service? Does the MIB3 Amendsen still use an SD card to store the maps? There's no mention of it in the new owners manual which only talks about online updates or via a dealer 😞 Certainly there doesn't seem to be an SD card slot for music files - the manual only talks about accessing media files via Bluetooth or USC-C. 

 

Chris