Nowadays, customers want more than just an infotainment system in their cars. They seek connected-car features which improve not only safety and security but also the ownership experience. To address those demands, Volkswagen has now introduced something called My Volkswagen Connect. It comes as standard on the updated Polo GT TSI and both of Vento’s Highline Plus variants.

To equip a car with the said technology, Volkswagen plugs a dongle to the on-board diagnostics (OBD) port. Within that dongle is a sim, which interacts with the My Volkswagen Connect app. For the record, the mobile application is available on both Google’s and Apple’s smartphone platforms. Once paired, the app can do loads of stuff. One of them is keeping a record of an individual’s driving style. For that, it records the braking behaviour, coolant temperature, acceleration, speed and RPM. Another feature that can come in handy is to locate a point of interest or to reach the customer care/roadside assistance.

That’s not all! The My Volkswagen Connect app allows users to scan, upload and store crucial vehicle-related documents, which enables for a paperless experience. Also, customers can use the application to set renewal reminders for vehicle insurance and receive OTA (over-the-air) software update. As for real-time features, My Volkswagen Connect allows customers to get the car’s live location. They can also receive alerts concerning towing, geo-fencing, route deviation and SOS situations.

Presently, My Volkswagen Connect is available with three years of free subscription. Even the warranty is for the same period. Can this be retrofitted to older but BS6-compliant Polo and Vento variants? Well, Volkswagen hasn’t mentioned anything about that. If you already own either of those cars, we’d recommend that you get in touch with the dealership and get the dirt on it. For the festive period, Volkswagen introduced the ‘Red & White’ Editions of the Polo and Vento earlier this month.