Volkswagen of America, Inc. will roll out Volkswagen Car-Net® Safe & Secure connected vehicle emergency services at no additional cost for five years for most model year 2020 to 2023 vehicles, effective June 1, 2023. For gas-powered vehicles equipped with Car-Net hardware, this multi-year complimentary offer includes Automatic Crash Notifications, Emergency Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Locator, and Anti-Theft Alerts; ID.4 EV models include Automatic Crash Notifications and Emergency Assistance.
For model year 2020 – 2023 vehicles equipped with Volkswagen Car-Net, the coverage begins as soon as the owner creates a myVW account and accepts the myVW and Car-Net Terms of Service. The coverage will remain active for 5 years after the sale date or June 1, 2023, whichever is later.
During a recent carjacking incident in the Chicago area, involving a child in a stolen Volkswagen Atlas, law enforcement vehicle tracking was delayed because of a process failure involving a request for a subscription payment prior to obtaining vehicle locator information. “The family was thankfully reunited, but the crime and the process failure are heartbreaking for me,” said Rachael Zaluzec, SVP, Customer Experience & Brand Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. “As a mom and an aunt, I can imagine how painful this incident must have been. Words can’t adequately express how truly sorry I am for what the family endured.”
“Volkswagen must and will do better for everyone that trusts our brand and for the law enforcement officials tasked with protecting us. In addition to a full investigation of what went wrong and actions taken to address the failure, we want to make it right for the future. Today, we are setting a new standard for customer peace of mind. As of June 1st, we will make these connected vehicle emergency services free for five years as one significant step we can take as a commitment to our owners and their families.”
For 2020-2023 model year vehicles equipped with Car-Net, services are offered in three plans: Safe & Secure, Remote Access, and Wi-Fi Hotspot. Most model year 2020 Passat vehicles are not equipped with Car-Net.
Car-Net Safe & Secure—now available at no additional charge for five years for model year 2020 to 2023 vehicles—allows owners to access Emergency Assistance through the SOS button in the vehicle, and, if a cellular connection can be established, can put the driver in contact with the Car-Net service center, who can direct emergency responders to the vehicle’s location and notify the user’s Emergency Contact. Provided a cellular connection can be established, Automatic Crash Notification can help automatically notify an operator who can quickly contact first responders in the event of a collision. In gas-powered vehicles, Anti-Theft Alert sends a push notification to the user if the vehicle’s anti-theft alarm is triggered, and Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance uses Car-Net technology to assist law enforcement with locating the vehicle in the event that it is stolen. In addition, Information Assistance—accessed through the i-call button within the vehicle—allows the driver to speak to a Car-Net agent for support needs, such as points of interest and account services. The Information Assistance service is not available on model year 2021 ID.4 vehicles.
Car-Net Remote Access services are also offered at no additional charge, for five years from the date of vehicle purchase on 2020 and newer models equipped with Car-Net. Remote Access allows owners the ability to interact with their vehicle from a distance via the myVW mobile app, and features include remote start and stop (if equipped), remote door lock and unlock, remote honk and flash of lights, last parked location, and remote vehicle status display, which provides information on estimated fuel level and mileage and door and window status. To provide added peace-of-mind no matter who is driving, Remote Access services also include Family Guardian services (Speed Alert, Boundary Alert, Valet Alert), as well as Roadside Call Assist.
Car-Net Wi-Fi Hotspot is a data plan subscription that allows passengers to access the internet with up to four connected devices simultaneously, including compatible tablets, smartphones, laptops, gaming devices, and more—at 4G LTE-enabled speed. Customers have the option to select a data plan from either VerizonTM or T-Mobile® (only available on gas-powered vehicles). With just a few clicks in the myVW mobile app or at vw.com/carnet, owners can add their new Volkswagen vehicle to their existing mobile data plan or purchase a new one. Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile customers with an existing mobile data plan can simply add their Volkswagen vehicle as a new line item to their existing monthly bill; non-Verizon or T-Mobile customers can set up an unlimited plan for $20/month, taxes and fees may apply.