Photo: Volkswagen
Tesla is so at ease with OTA (over-the-air) updates that it even blames them for defects in its cars, as it did with the heat pump issue. Volkswagen is approaching them in a much more cautious way. That’s why ID Software 3.0 will first only be available with cars bought starting today. All other EVs from the brand will get it in Q2 2022. And there is plenty to wait.
The best new feature the new firmware brings probably relates to the charging speeds with the 77-kWh battery pack. With the ID Software 3.0, it can reach speeds of up to 135 kW instead of the previous 125 kW.
Volkswagen did not disclose how much faster the vehicles charge. All it said was that the battery pack now counts with a Battery Care Mode. It limits charging to 80% of SOC (state of charge) when you activate it. It is unclear if that applies to any charging session or only to fast charging, which is more damaging to batteries.
Another great new feature brought by ID Software 3.0 is a smart e-router planner. In other words, when you set a destination on the navigation screen, the ID vehicles will locate the places where you will have to charge to get there as quickly as possible. The system uses traffic data and also information about the charging stations and the route.
According to Volkswagen, the system can dynamically define the chargers where ID drivers can stop based on the output of these chargers. In other words, it can apparently prevent you from stopping in a crowded place. The software can advise you to make two fast-charging stops instead of a longer and slower one if that saves you time.
Volkswagen also enhanced one of the coolest features its ID vehicles present: the augmented reality head-up display. With the ID Software 3.0, it offers new graphics, such as roundabouts, SOC with percentages, and the distance left to the destination. The turn arrow was reshaped to seem “more integrated into the surroundings.”
Voice control will now avoid those crazy talks when you ask anything, and the car understands something else entirely. According to the German carmaker, the system now has a recognition quality of around 95%. Knowing that 5% of the requests will still sound like absurd conversations is still a relief when you know that some cars make that way more constant.
One of the changes that seem to make Volkswagen particularly proud is the automated driving assistant features. Park Assist Plus with Memory function makes the car capable of repeating a parking procedure so that you can put the car in charge of it whenever you want.
Travel Assist with Swarm Data uses information collected by other ID vehicles in a given path so that all other Volkswagen EVs can benefit from that. The cars can also change lanes on their own as long as the driver keeps their hands on the steering wheel. We wonder why anyone would prefer that the car did that if not just to show passengers how technological their vehicles are.
Volkswagen did not disclose how much faster the vehicles charge. All it said was that the battery pack now counts with a Battery Care Mode. It limits charging to 80% of SOC (state of charge) when you activate it. It is unclear if that applies to any charging session or only to fast charging, which is more damaging to batteries.
Another great new feature brought by ID Software 3.0 is a smart e-router planner. In other words, when you set a destination on the navigation screen, the ID vehicles will locate the places where you will have to charge to get there as quickly as possible. The system uses traffic data and also information about the charging stations and the route.
According to Volkswagen, the system can dynamically define the chargers where ID drivers can stop based on the output of these chargers. In other words, it can apparently prevent you from stopping in a crowded place. The software can advise you to make two fast-charging stops instead of a longer and slower one if that saves you time.
Volkswagen also enhanced one of the coolest features its ID vehicles present: the augmented reality head-up display. With the ID Software 3.0, it offers new graphics, such as roundabouts, SOC with percentages, and the distance left to the destination. The turn arrow was reshaped to seem “more integrated into the surroundings.”
Voice control will now avoid those crazy talks when you ask anything, and the car understands something else entirely. According to the German carmaker, the system now has a recognition quality of around 95%. Knowing that 5% of the requests will still sound like absurd conversations is still a relief when you know that some cars make that way more constant.
One of the changes that seem to make Volkswagen particularly proud is the automated driving assistant features. Park Assist Plus with Memory function makes the car capable of repeating a parking procedure so that you can put the car in charge of it whenever you want.
Travel Assist with Swarm Data uses information collected by other ID vehicles in a given path so that all other Volkswagen EVs can benefit from that. The cars can also change lanes on their own as long as the driver keeps their hands on the steering wheel. We wonder why anyone would prefer that the car did that if not just to show passengers how technological their vehicles are.
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