It not only has better software but also significantly faster hardware.
Volkswagen’s eighth-generation Golf was introduced in October 2019. However, the launch of this compact model was marred by software issues. Deliveries to customers were stopped a few months later due to a problem with the emergency call function. Wolfsburg’s peeps not only stopped shipments to buyers for a while but also recall approximately 15,000 cars in Germany.
Flash forward to 2021 and issues with the infotainment system and the reverse camera led to a second recall. This affected approximately 56,000 units manufactured up until June 2020. You’d find many Mk8 owners complaining that the MIB3 is still slow and crashes occasionally. This problem extends to the Skoda Octavia as well as other MQB siblings.
Here’s some good news. VW has unveiled a major update for its Golf 8 with more optimized software. This includes a voice control that promises to deliver “fast recognition” and “exact response”. It can understand freely formulated phrases and determine whether the driver or front passenger are speaking. It can also ask questions and be interrupted by the user.
Voice control is something that many people consider a novelty. However, the 2022 Golf has some tangible improvements. VW claims that the 2022 Golf will be getting a facelift thanks to a new System on Chip, (SOC), with 25% more computing power and a graphic card with three times the performance.
VW claims that the new hardware will allow it to display the results list in less than five seconds after entering a destination into the navigation system. German automaker VW claims it has listened carefully to customers about their issues with MIB3 and that these are now being addressed. The upgraded infotainment system is only available to new cars. Existing owners will have to continue with the old setup.
There’s a silver lining. Golf 8 owners who have the latest software will be able to benefit from it as part of a voluntary service measure that will start in 2022. VW will contact their owners. Vehicles with the most recent software will see a reduction in base load, and thus a better performance for programs or functions.
VW also added a final tweak to the system. It now blocks the buttons surrounding the hazard warning lights whenever the user’s finger touches the screen. To prevent accidental activation, the sliders for volume and temperature will be automatically blocked when the finger touches the screen. A proximity sensor has been added to make gesture controls more effective from a distance of several centimeters.
These software and hardware updates will be implemented in all other VW Group Golf models.