Answering a phone call

[LarsKC]

In my Fabia there was a dedicated phone button on the steering wheel. That seems to have disappeared on the Octavia IV. Does anybody know if its possible to answer a phone call any other way, than reaching over to touch the screen? That goes for both the built in phone app as well as with Android Auto.

[Jmagee]

Just click accept on the right wheel

[Coume]

9 hours ago, Jmagee said:

Just click accept on the right wheel

@Jmageehave you found a way to start a call (selecting contact, etc.) and to hang up too using the wheel?

[Soko1982]

yes, on a virtual display you need to choose the "telephone" display and than with right wheel you select a contact to call. But its way faster by finger tapping on the infotainment, especially if you have the person you want to call in the favourites. 

[Jmagee]

Use Google. Press speech recognition and call.

[mr44]

8 hours ago, Jmagee said:

Use Google. Press speech recognition and call.

Haha.. maybe in 2030 that will work.

 

Since english is not my native, I had to add “special” tags to the names in phonebook I usually call. So when I say “call Prometheus” I know the car will call “Turcsányi Lajos” (the real name in my country) 😅

[Greezy56]

Big Turcsanyi!! Howz he doing!

[TheUltraRunner]

4 hours ago, mr44 said:

Haha.. maybe in 2030 that will work.

 

Since english is not my native, I had to add “special” tags to the names in phonebook I usually call. So when I say “call Prometheus” I know the car will call “Turcsányi Lajos” (the real name in my country) 😅

Nice one!  Maybe I'll try that. I also don't use voice commands since the system rarely recognizes Slovene names.  

[MCG1975]

As a related query, how do you hang up a call?  I had the phone button on my Superb which jumped the MFD to the phone screen and allowed me to hang up, but it's not there on the Octavia and I've searched the PDF manual and can't find anything about phone control on the steering wheel.

 

I note that pressing the right wheel, going to the phone menu and then pressing the 'right' button below the wheel takes you to a list of calls, does that get you to a 'hang up' option when you're in call?  It's quite annoying/dangerous having to lunge for the featureless touchscreen and try and hit the red button to hang up while driving!

[Pagan-Image]

Scroll the right wheel, and it gives you the option to hang up if you press it.

[MCG1975]

On 18/05/2021 at 17:47, Pagan-Image said:

Scroll the right wheel, and it gives you the option to hang up if you press it.

 

Cheers - I eventually found it as first you have to press the right wheel, then scroll to the phone menu, then press the right arrow button on the right side of the wheel to get to the sub-menu, in which is a hang-up option.  A lengthy process to do one thing, but that seems to be the way with this car...

[TheUltraRunner]

Or you just wait for the other person to hang up. 

[Soko1982]

if u r in a call, than there is at the bottom center of infotainment the icon with a phonecall...if you tap it once the phonescreen pops up and u just tap the red dial...much faster than scrolling through the menus in the front display 

[TheUltraRunner]

I guess the whole point is not to move your sight of view from the road.  Which you need to do if you want to click a button on the main screen.

Edited 20 May, 2021 by TheUltraRunner

[Soko1982]

same as scrolling throught the menus to find the phone section...i can tap infotainment menu almost with no looking...sure neither is perfect, same goes for ac setting....

[TheUltraRunner]

Yes, sure. I was actually referring to both methods.   Both are crap comparing to previous gen of Octavia. 

[LarsKC]

OK, so the conclusion seems to be, that there are two ways to answer a phonecall and hang up again. Either by going through a complicated series of clicks and sub-menus on the wheel. Or by taking your eyes of the road and reach over to touch the info-screen.

Compared to my old Fabia, where I could just use a dedicated button on the wheel.

That must be that thing they call progress......

[Chrisg2021]

On 20/05/2021 at 12:21, MCG1975 said:

 

Cheers - I eventually found it as first you have to press the right wheel, then scroll to the phone menu, then press the right arrow button on the right side of the wheel to get to the sub-menu, in which is a hang-up option.  A lengthy process to do one thing, but that seems to be the way with this car...

Seems to over complicated to hang up a call i find, why cant there be a answer/hang up button thats easy to get to... 

[Soko1982]

Actually its easy as when you are on a call on the dash screen phone menu is popped out. To hang up you just click once the right scrol. As Simple as it gets. 

[LarsKC]

6 hours ago, Soko1982 said:

Actually its easy as when you are on a call on the dash screen phone menu is popped out. To hang up you just click once the right scrol. As Simple as it gets. 

Maybe with the built in phone app. But AFAIK it does not work when Android Auto handles the call?

[Soko1982]

Ok maybe. For sure apple car play has the same way as the built in phone app. 
 

while i had android phone i also disliked the whole android auto connection. But i have to say car play is waaay better optimized and user friendly. 

[TheUltraRunner]

3 hours ago, Soko1982 said:

Ok maybe. For sure apple car play has the same way as the built in phone app. 
 

while i had android phone i also disliked the whole android auto connection. But i have to say car play is waaay better optimized and user friendly. 

Can you make a call with buttons on the steering wheel when phone is connected through apple car play? To me it looks like you can't.

[Soko1982]

haven't tried that yet...will try tomorrow

[SteveTheElder]

1 hour ago, TheUltraRunner said:

Can you make a call with buttons on the steering wheel when phone is connected through apple car play? To me it looks like you can't.

Don’t need to, use Siri to make the call.

 

EDIT: just realised you’re in Slovenia, and you mentioned earlier that voice recognition isn’t great for you guys. Sorry.

Edited 26 January, 2022 by sneal

[TheUltraRunner]

11 minutes ago, sneal said:

Don’t need to, use Siri to make the call.

 

EDIT: just realised you’re in Slovenia, and you mentioned earlier that voice recognition isn’t great for you guys. Sorry.

Yes, you are correct. Unfortunately the voice recognition doesn't work well when you try to pronounce names.