Skoda 'closer' to launching connected services in Australia

Skoda won't launch connected services in Australia this year, though local CEO Lucie Kuhn promises the technology isn't far off.

"I think we're getting closer, significantly closer. We're heading there, we are simply finalising its development," Ms Kuhn told CarExpert in Queenstown, New Zealand.

"It won't be in a week or two, but I hope the next time we talk... I can finally give you a date.

"Not this year."

Thus far, the Volkswagen Group has largely been unable to implement factory-backed connected services in Australia, at least among its mass-market brands, with only Audi, Porsche and the ultra-premium Bentley and Lamborghini brands offering proper inbuilt connectivity.

As such, owners have been denied access to features offered by many rivals, including satellite navigation with live routing and traffic updates, digital key and emergency call functions, over-the-air software updates, and proper app functionality.

Last year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial vehicle divisions rolled out a third-party solution called Goconnect in lieu of proprietary services.

Via the Goconnect smartphone app, owners can locate their parked vehicle, view recent trips, interact with and book appointments at their dealer, check vehicle errors and warnings, monitor high-voltage battery status, and view driving speed.

Meanwhile, most major brands – including Ford, Toyota, BYD, Hyundai and Tesla – offer extensive factory-backed connected services, as do many of the emerging automakers arriving in Australia from China.

However, there may finally be light at the end of the tunnel for Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra, all of which have been lobbying their respective global parent companies to establish factory-backed connected services in Australia and better compete with rival brands.

Cupra recently confirmed it will be among the first Volkswagen Group brands in Australia to offer factory-backed connectivity and remote services, although it remains unclear when those features will arrive.

It's understood Cupra's local division is hurrying to ensure its connected vehicle technology is ready ahead of the launch of the compact Raval electric vehicle (EV), which is firming for an Australian launch sometime in 2027.

Whether Cupra's connected services suite will debut before or after Skoda's remains to be seen.

Skoda Connect, as it's known in Europe, gives owners greater control over Skoda's 'Laura' voice control system, as well as access to live traffic updates, map programming and weather reports.

Owners can also save personalised settings across different vehicles, monitor the mechanical health of their car, and keep track of other vehicle functions using the MySkoda smartphone app.

For Australian Skoda buyers, those features remain out of reach for now – but the Czech brand's latest comments suggest the wait may finally be nearing an end.

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