I'm not going to waffle on here... so apologies If I don't list every single feature etc...
Volkswagen are currently giving away a dongle that fits into the car's OBD port (small socket usually under the steering wheel). It then pairs with your phone, and using an app you can see things like
Your last trip , shown on google maps Your efficiency How you drive Where you parked the car
and a few other bits n bobs.
People are selling these on eBay and the VW parts shop sells them for about £40 but until the end of December these are free.
My VW garage tried to sucker me into paying £500 for a service with the tempt of one of theese dongles... but then I asked VW where to buy one and they told me it was free... sure enough if you check the website link given (vwconnect.com) you can see on there that it is free.
Just pop into your local VW garage and ask for one. If they try to get you to do a service, remind them that the website actually says the device is free. But I was also warned that the garages have a limited number of them. I picked one up today and it was fairly interesting. Driving efficiency is quite interesting to me as I drive long distances... but the other features are nice too. It will report issues to the phone as well.
Yes.. it's similar to Torque pro but with less stuff and some other things that Torque doesn't have ... but the main point is the official VW dongle is currently FREE.
enjoy.
All comments (121)
daskapital
28 Sep 17#1
Quote from the website:
What costs can I expect?
The VW Connect DataPlug is currently available free of charge for the remainder of 2017 (usually £35.00) . The app and the associated functions are free of charge. Please note that your smartphone must be linked to an existing mobile phone contract including a mobile data packet in order to use the app. This may lead to additional costs.
matth5182
28 Sep 17#2
Audi will want £400 for this, Skoda meanwhile will prob pay you
osrick
28 Sep 17#3
Doesn't include the Phaeton - their flagship car. Which is a bit useless.
M_z to osrick
28 Sep 17#6
I think they only ever sold about 25 of those though, so not too many people affected. :wink:
ses6jwg to osrick
29 Sep 17#31
Yes I'm sure all 6 owners will be livid.
OrribleHarry
28 Sep 17#4
It will lie and say emissions are like fresh air.
powerbrick
28 Sep 17#5
Would you trust the reading a VW device gives you?
AndyRoyd
28 Sep 17#7
Is the device "always on" requiring removal from OBD socket to prevent battery drain when the engine is not running for prolonged periods?
daskapital to AndyRoyd
28 Sep 17#8
From the website:
Does my DataPlug consume electricity when I park and leave my vehicle?
To avoid draining the vehicle battery, the DataPlug turns itself off as soon as the vehicle is parked and the ignition turned off.
So sounds good, no need to remove.
AndyRoyd to daskapital
28 Sep 17#9
Thnx.
daskapital
28 Sep 17#10
HAHAH someone actually downvoted a free deal. I love you guys :grin: hahah
thekanester to daskapital
29 Sep 17#23
Don't own a Volkswagen so cold...
... :sweat_smile: (Only kidding. Hot!)
greencode
28 Sep 17#11
The cost calculations are completely wrong. It says I'm doing about 15mpg whereas in fact I'm doing 32mpg. Been in touch with VW customer service and they were hopeless.
daskapital to greencode
28 Sep 17#13
It told me I had to change gear earlier. It's a DSG
I think they have a few bugs, but it was only recently released. Probably better to write a review on the app store or email the develoepers directly: [email protected]volkswagen.de
greencode to daskapital
28 Sep 17#16
I've done both. They told me to email them with a huge amount of details that I wasn't prepared to send in a insecure email. I asked them whether there was anywhere I could send it securely online. There wasn't. Oh well.
daskapital to greencode
28 Sep 17#17
Yeah that's pretty much all you can do I guess. I haven't owned one long enough to comment on the features that don't work for you. Did you register a tank fill up when you filled up the car?
I think, this is basically a gimmick to get users to service their vehicles more often. My guess is they are giving it away for free because the app reminds you about servicing and points you to potential issues.
If you like the idea, check out Torque pro. I got it for free with my car head unit but I bought a £5 OBD dongle from eBay to use with Torque. If you haven't tried it.. it's quite cool. Shows lots more detail like turbo boost pressure etc.
Kaos_KS
28 Sep 17#12
Big brother watching once more.
sydney871
28 Sep 17#14
Has been posted a couple of months ago. My previous comment remains that this data may be used by insurance companies etc so I would be reluctant to take up the offer.
daskapital to sydney871
28 Sep 17#15
Got a link? I searched, did not find this anywhere after three or four searches for words like vwconnect / data plug etc. ... not sure how it can be "a couple of months" either since it only came out one month ago....
As for your other comment about insurance companies. you think VW can just sell the data to an insurance company without your permission / approval ? I think the data protection act says that this would be highly illegal. But if you don't want a free dongle, don't get one ? Problem solved. Am not at all worried about the data on this thing. It bluetooths to your phone. It doesn't say aha lets upload every single detail about the car and driver to HQ... I'm sure some crafty Germans have already taken it apart and analysed the app as well but since you have determined how it works without even having one I guess you probably won't be interested in the outcome.
Regarding the data not sure myself as to whether VW will sell it on or maybe the app will somehow store the data. Maybe I am making a big deal out of it but with all this data someone somewhere is going to misuse it.
Rickardo to sydney871
29 Sep 17#24
But there's no way of connecting the car data to the insurance company and to you. Even if the app was surreptitiously sending data, how does it know which insurance company you choose? Likewise, your insurance company is not going to know if you have the device attached or not.
MonkeysUncle
28 Sep 17#18
You could alternatively buy a Bluetooth obd reader for about £5. And get fault codes, mpg, voltages, etc, on a mobile app. Mines been plugged in for about 3 years with no problems.
snoopy18 to MonkeysUncle
29 Sep 17#21
What app do you use ti
alexjameshaines to snoopy18
29 Sep 17#26
Torque Pro for me :wink:
LOL_is_stupid
28 Sep 17#19
It keeps telling me my car is emitting zero emmisions, but I have a feeling it's not quite right.
seaniboy to LOL_is_stupid
29 Sep 17#27
That’s a default app bug, nothing to worry about as it will be the norm come eVM, if you had the dongle at your bottom and it still read zero emissions then we have a problem Houston
Ger73
29 Sep 17#22
Stupid question alert but here it goes.....
Does this just work on Volkswagen models or can any car use this?
oldguy to Ger73
29 Sep 17#28
Not stupid at all. The OBD dongle should be standard and thus fit any car however the app may be biased toward VW models
plewis00 to oldguy
29 Sep 17#30
I should imagine turning up in any non-VW or VAG vehicle might make it difficult to talk your way into being given one though. At the very least I would have a suitable number plate to hand
OrribleHarry to oldguy
29 Sep 17#32
ODBII is indeed a standard but I'd suspect this one will only work with that app, the app will likely only have VW protocols stored so may not work on a decent vehicle.
bleachershane
29 Sep 17#25
Will this work with a Skoda Fabia? Being Volkswagen Group and all that?
ourdevonfamily
29 Sep 17#33
Yeah and we're all going to believe the data pumped out from a VW... I mean they have such a reliable history for accuracy! :astonished:
ArtooD2
29 Sep 17#34
Nice find! My polo is in for service in Monday. Got the other half to ring them and ask for this to be done at the same time. Heat!
Smadmad
29 Sep 17#35
I have privacy concerns about devices like these. There is nothing stopping VW selling data collected, to third party company's. Nothing is free especially a company like VW, Where everything on a new VW is a optional extra. TFL for example receive about 300million from data collected from our phones when using Wifi at underground tube stations. I believe this device will do similar. It could also be used as a black box in a accident. Speed travelling etc
daskapital to Smadmad
29 Sep 17#38
and what stops them from plugging a computer into the OBD port and obtaining the exact same information without the dongle ? ECUs do have memory and do store data. The dongle just makes it easy for the user to access but the the data is just being pulled from the cars computer memory so again, what stops an investigator plugging a cable in and getting that info ?
If you did have an accident, the ECU on modern cars will record impact speed. So that info is already saved in the car, again the dongle just makes that data accessible to the user.
mattwarby7692
29 Sep 17#36
Needs access to a lot of info
rich_1986 to mattwarby7692
29 Sep 17#39
Your spot on. The device, although marketed to transfer data to assist rectifying and issues that arise, is also perfectly capable of reading other information your car calculates and stores i.e. speed, revs, driving style, location, use of indication etc etc... which will be used against you in the steps to a warranty claim and the likes.
I have myself a VW, so I am not anti VW, just against items like this that ‘track’ you. Whether your intentions are pure or not, it’s just not secure in terms of personal info transfer.
Feel like I’m claiming VW are big brother, like some Illuminati out to get you :grin:
MattP79 to mattwarby7692
29 Sep 17#40
To be fair, that's fairly standard for any app that needs to store or transmit data and fairly crucial for any app attempting telemetrics.
sydney871
29 Sep 17#37
Could be used against you in an accident...
yourlegaldealer
29 Sep 17#41
Anyone else having problems with their "I am not a robot" thing? I've put my Vehicle ID in and I can't get past that damn security checker ( I am selecting the correct tiles - honest)
Smadmad
29 Sep 17#42
Yes a ECU will record data to a certain extent. But using the dongle and app gives VW greater info GPS etc. For VW to extract data from a car they need to physically connect a laptop. With this app and dongle they can do this at anytime. Each to there own but personally I wouldn't want something like that. I BTW OWN a Audi so not against the Vag group just think we have a major problem with privacy
thefunkygibbon
29 Sep 17#43
Bear in mind that this is a German company and Germany have the strictest data protection/privacy laws in the world. I think privacy is the least of your worries when dealing with VAG.
daskapital
29 Sep 17#44
Also there's this little thing called the data protection act that makes it totally illegal to share that info without your consent.... but let's take a look at the terms & conditions and the privacy statement.
The privacy statement says :
Data such as, DataPlug's serial number, mileage, speed, the country selected in the app, etc. are levied pseudonymized by Volkswagen AG for statistical reporting purposes.
So your data is pseudonymized. meaning it doesn't contain directly personal information e.g. your name.
and..
The transfer of personal data to third parties only takes place insofar as this is necessary for the execution of the contract, in particular the provision of the VW Connect services. This is the case, for example, if the location of the vehicle is displayed using the Google Maps service of Google Inc. ("Google").
finally
When using services that do not require login, the data transmission is carried out exclusively between the Volkswagen DataPlug in your vehicle and the VW Connect app on your mobile device (see below under I.).
so you are under no obligation to login and if you don't no data will be sent anywhere at all.
So there you have it. It does not say that they will transfer it to any 3rd party they feel like (e.g. insurance companies). If they did... it would be illegal.
My personal thought: what would VW have to gain from illegally sharing your data with an insurance company? it would be extremely detrimental to them. It's like the current Boeing / bombardier case where a US military man said they could simply turn off the attack helicopters computers and they would be useless.... do you think anyone would buy from Boeing if they did ?
People are still going to say ah but .... ok... do you own a phone? use facebook? I think those are much scarier than an app for your car but you know what... if it bothers you so much .. don't use one? The same handful of people keep going on and on about privacy. So don't use one then, and spare us reading the same tiring comments over and over again.
OrribleHarry
29 Sep 17#45
German privacy laws only apply in Germany this the UK where we have none. The German version on the app store will comply with local laws.
OrribleHarry
29 Sep 17#46
Data protection act is overruled by a court order. In a serious accident VW will have to hand over all information to who ever they are ordered to.
thefunkygibbon
29 Sep 17#47
Indeed. Although the comment about the Boeing thing was a little less well constructed. The point with that was that if there is indeed a all out world war 3, and either someone compromised Boeing or if they themselves decided to be on the "other side" they could quite easily cause massive damage/problems for the US. I know it is unlikely they would do so of their own volition, but the fact that the *risk* is there, is enough for them to do something about it. That in of itself is a lot more problematic in any of it's worst case scenarios, than the worst that could happen if VAG decided it was to contravene all of it's internal/gov mandated/other countries policies and laws, which would be what, knowing where people who drive VAG group drivers (not necessarily owners) drive and how they drive.
I think we're somewhat going off-topic though :smile:
daskapital
29 Sep 17#48
Agree off-topic, but I was referring to this article
The person in question was referring to shutting down UK helicopters sold by Boeing in a stupid tit-for-tat move about the whole Bombadier thing. But yeah, off topic. Let's wait for the next person to moan about the dataplug which they aren't going to obtain and use ... :wink:
morrig
29 Sep 17#49
Well don't take him with you.
twilliams2k2
29 Sep 17#50
What makes you say that? Website says it works :joy:
Littlepaz06
29 Sep 17#51
Damn...should've known my poor 2005 trusty but tired polo is too old :wink: . Would be useful as always forgetting where I left it :joy: Useful to know how petrol hungry it is though! :grin:
Thanks OP!
daskapital
29 Sep 17#52
an old battered "fake" (bodykit) 16v Polo 6N was my first car. Ah joyful memories. non-turbo diesel so it took forever to go nowhere...
orochiguyver
29 Sep 17#53
Does the device only work on vw cars or do they work on any vehicle when connected to the port which is generic?
ssc1
29 Sep 17#54
... and do you need to be driving a vw?
daskapital
29 Sep 17#55
Best guess the dongle and app are tied together and therefore to VWs only. I tried the dongle with Torque pro app and it didn't work so i'm guessing they are somehow limited to only talking to VWs.
But the OBD dongle for use with something like Torque pro only costs about a fiver on eBay. For example: ebay.co.uk/itm…KQ7
Make sure it has the ELM327 chipset and it should work whichever one you get.
The VW dataplugs cost a lot more if you have to buy one. Perhaps in the future (might already) they might hack the dongles to be more compatible? who knows. But my £5 one from ebay works just fine in all the apps i've tried it with.
osrick
29 Sep 17#56
Car not listed on drop down menu.
BrianM
29 Sep 17#57
Where is it described as free??
In the "Questions and Answers" section in the "VwDataPlug" drop down it says "Where can I buy the VW Connect Dataplug" - the answer to this is "You can buy the DataPlug at any Volkswagen Service Partner"
daskapital
29 Sep 17#58
In the dropdown box under "Questions and answers" select "General".
Fifth item in the list
What costs can I expect?
The VW Connect DataPlug is currently available free of charge for the remainder of 2017 (usually £35.00) . The app and the associated functions are free of charge. Please note that your smartphone must be linked to an existing mobile phone contract including a mobile data packet in order to use the app. This may lead to additional costs.
J9STL
29 Sep 17#59
i'm sure I read this yesterday and it stated the dongle was free to customers till the end of the year....
BrianM
29 Sep 17#60
Thanks! Somewhere else it says that the Dataplug can also be obtained from the "VW Online Shop" - where it was Euro35!
drtomas
29 Sep 17#61
Both the app and insurance company know your phone number. It is not hard to connect the dots... One day even the likes of Google Maps may go rouge and hand you in.
drtomas
29 Sep 17#62
Oh, and soon they will add features like charging you by the mile.
sparklehedgehog
29 Sep 17#63
You efficiency?!
Rickardo
29 Sep 17#64
My insurance company doesn't know my mobile number, just my landline.
david_robinson94
29 Sep 17#65
Wonder if this will work on our SEAT, ultimately it's just a VW anyway.
L33TL33
29 Sep 17#66
Can only? or would this work on a VW van too?
da1em
29 Sep 17#67
Rouge. Moulin Rouge. I doubt Google Maps will take me to there
mrstick2000
29 Sep 17#68
You can also use some of the foil you have left from your hat to wrap up your car, if you're that worried....
speric07
29 Sep 17#69
At least it is limited to the app calculation ... I had the emissions 'fix' applied to my 2.0 TDI Passat estate and my MPG plummeted from 55mpg to 45mpg. VW's stance is f'off!
118luke
29 Sep 17#70
We all know how good VW are at keeping to rules :unamused:
cheekster
29 Sep 17#71
Clicked on the link in the first post which takes you to the VWconnect website but after a quick scan can't see any option to order one of these? Are they only available by visiting a VW dealership?
Thanks.
greencode
29 Sep 17#72
Yep. Just visit a dealership and they'll give you one.
spannerzone
29 Sep 17#73
I have this built into my new golf and so far I'm somewhat underwhelmed but maybe it does more than I realise.
cheekster
29 Sep 17#74
Do you need to take in any documentation (vehicle log book etc)?
Thanks.
arotabi
29 Sep 17#75
I agree that it's not at all likely to be used by insurance companies but it can't be too hard to link to registered keeper and/or driver.
Chassis number -> DVLA -> Number Plate -> Records of drivers insured to drive Chassis number -> VW -> Number Plate -> Records of drivers insured to drive
The app may request access to phone number or IMEI and that would also link the driver and car at a given time.
Only a worry if you're a half decent assassin and need to keep your movements under wraps. However, I couldn't care less if I'm logged... may inadvertently give me an alibi for a crime I didn't commit even!!
Any manufacturer app is pretty much guaranteed to be kak so another recommendation for bluetooth OBD reader and Torque (even the free one is great).
Skymonkey
29 Sep 17#76
Nothing is ever free UNLESS there is something in it for the person offering the free service. You can have this for FREE but, we want xxx. VW are not a charity, they are a business and business is there to make money and profit.
There may be no privacy concerns currently, but I'd be cautious when and if the app gets updated and you have to accept new terms and conditions to continue using the device. Many carelessly accept these without realising the information they are actually giving away.
gsk
29 Sep 17#77
That’s going to be really annoying for all 5 phaeton owners.
madridpaid_the_referee
29 Sep 17#78
Don't knkw if thi sis a stupid question, but can you use this on cars other than VW's.
stevethos
29 Sep 17#79
Just spoke to my local (Breeze Poole) and even though I’ve currently got a MKV Golf, she said I can have one for when I hopefully get my MKVII in the new year. Shall pop down tomorrow for it. Heat added!
davewave
29 Sep 17#80
My car doesn't have this functionality and I have to say I couldn't give a flip!
beard7
29 Sep 17#81
Hmm interesting move by VW, even if they don't sell the data to a third party it's still worth a fortune to them (Google: data is the new oil). They can access any data from their vehicles that is on the CAN bus, log it and upload it along with GPS using your data package. They've achieved this by giving away devices that probably cost <£5 to make. It's ingenious really and a great way to catch up with Tesla who built this into their cars from day one.
I'm not saying this should really concern anyone who has one of these. I just think it's a great move that will ultimately allow VW to provide a better service to their customers.
What to expect from a device which costs 1 penny to make and knowing VW willingness to tell a truth?
morrig
29 Sep 17#85
And yet James Dyson In 93 was realising the potential harm of particulates from diesel, any one who has cycled in town and city has tasted them for decades...
JulianDean
29 Sep 17#86
Useless bit of kit. Gwt vag-com that's all you need.
david_robinson94
29 Sep 17#87
This works a treat on our 2016 Seat Alhambra, had to pay £10 as not a VW, but felt that was a reasonable price.
Anyone with a modern Seat that has a direct VW family member should be good to go.
rhysisaac
29 Sep 17#88
Where on the site does it say it's free!?
bizzargainhunter
29 Sep 17#89
Wow. hi tech products available for - free!
Great deal. Thanks op / capitalism.
Carrie.F
29 Sep 17#90
with your free plugin try the Carista app - some options to change on basic models... needle swoop/car alarm/home lights/hill assist/service reset/ loads of other. if you are worried about VW collecting your data just buy an ELM plugin on ebay £5 at most.
ruffedgrouse
29 Sep 17#91
When will people learn? If you're not paying for something then you are the product.
Carrie.F
29 Sep 17#92
this is old tech... and not very high
Code0tc
29 Sep 17#93
Kudos to VW. Excellent data mining.
pgilc1
29 Sep 17#94
I got one the week they came out and to be honest they're faily naff - basic, gimmicky, clunky and fairly pointless.
Its data mining by VW and they're giving them away free because it suits them too, not as a special gift to owners.
orciM
29 Sep 17#95
Not driven the car yet, but plugged into a Seat Mii and the app connects and gives me car info, mileage etc. so looks good to go. Got it free from VW dealer. Thanks OP! :grin:
Kaos_KS
29 Sep 17#96
I won't, but he keeps following me around. He's everywhere man. :fearful:
Blue70
30 Sep 17#97
Damn my polo is too old. Heat added though.
slipd
30 Sep 17#98
How old a vehicle can you use this with? And what's the app called?
Thanks OP, picking mine up Monday. Got a couple of VW's I can try it with.
daskapital
30 Sep 17#99
The app is called "Volkswagen Connect". The website says vehicles from 2008 onwards but there is a list of supported vehicles on the website too.
Emeye
30 Sep 17#100
Does anyone seriously trust VW with anything? Emission gate is still ongoing with the “fix” causing all sorts of problems with many peoples’ cars. I have a dIesel VW Passat that I lease for peanuts, but it drives like crap as it was one of the first cars VW made after they were found out and he economy is terrible for a diesel.
I wouldn’t have one of these - they could easily try getting out of warranty claims if they decide you have not been driving within their spec.
welshboyuk
30 Sep 17#101
Picked one up this morning no issues, long as had a service had that garage they found my details
tomba
30 Sep 17#102
2008 VW Polo...NOT compatible :angry:
tanner2906
30 Sep 17#103
and how do u get the data plug
Newbold
30 Sep 17#104
First, you learn to read.........
GrumpyOldGamer
30 Sep 17#105
How can a small plug and an app be clunky? And basic? It tells you your fuel used, fuel left, battery voltage, mileage and tracks your driving efficiently, what do you want kit from night rider?!?!?!
pgilc1
1 Oct 17#106
Clunky to use.
I get fuel used, average MPG, fuel left, and mileage from the trip computer and the central display tells me about driving efficiency anyway.
My car tells me more useful stuff than this as is.
Even if you dont have that, is there not a little gauge on your dash tells you how much fuel you've left and the miles you've done? Do you really need an App for that??
You may be told the battery voltage, but it doesnt tell you if its normal or not? Whats the point in that? If you ask VW via feedback they tell you to ring the dealer to find out....
If your car doesnt have that stuff anyway then fine, but to me its gimmicky and is designed to increase your touch points with the dealer and give VW driving data.
nivtl
2 Oct 17#107
Picked up one from local dealer yesterday to test it on my Seat Exeo. It didn't work, not sure whether its the device that faulty or because of Seat brand.
wavecrest1
2 Oct 17#108
Did a Seat dealer sell it? Or was it a VW dealer?
buddn07
2 Oct 17#109
I use the Dash app. Works great, is free and integrates with IFTTT, so I save all of my journeys to a Google Spreadsheet.
MonkeysUncle
2 Oct 17#110
What I don't get about folks going on about big brother, data selling, privacy etc. Is that they always whine about it on the internet. One of the places where everything is logged. :thumbsup:
alexc648
3 Oct 17#111
Just tried dash but id couldnt find the device
robbrown4891
4 Oct 17#112
AWESOME - Tech geek here so this is great. The car stores this data anyway so you're stuffed in an accident (if in the wrong) so enjoy the novelty.
Thanks OP!
speric07
4 Oct 17#113
Snap, my fuel economy has dropped by 10mpg since the fix on my Passat ... They don't care and keep saying it is in line with German laws! They keep sending me back the same generic paragraphs and their call centres are on par with three!
The forums are littered with people having the same issues as me post fix, yet they deny it being an issue.
All I want is the fix reversing so I have the car I initially purchased back!
I've had enough and probably going to take them to a small claims court in the hope that they settle outside, or don't bother showing up!
therocksays
5 Oct 17#114
When I asked for one they gave it to me knowing my car was 2005 vw bora , it didn't work and when I went back tech guy says car too old,waste of time and they asked for it back.
david_robinson94
6 Oct 17#115
Picked it up from Seat Capital in Newport, Wales. He said he fixed all VW Group Cars so had the part in stock.
lukeDduke
7 Oct 17#116
“... As for your other comment about insurance companies. you think VW can just sell the data to an insurance company without your permission / approval ? I think the data protection act says that this would be highly illegal” so would cheating emission data but hey WTFDIK
danflorin3
8 Oct 17#117
Any link?
MonkeysUncle
8 Oct 17#118
Just search on eBay for Bluetooth obd
danflorin3
8 Oct 17#119
Found this on amazon ( amazon.co.uk/Blu…031 ).. bit more expensive but great reviews..as on ebay there are loads of different models and don`t know wich one is better,, ex : ebay.co.uk/itm…6DI ___________ Purchased this one :smile: - ebay.co.uk/itm…649
MonkeysUncle
9 Oct 17#120
That will be fine, basically all the same anyway.
daskapital
9 Oct 17#121
don't take them to small claims, join the group action lawsuit:
also, it's quite easy to reverse the ECU flashing, just go to a dealer who does tuning and un-do the flashing. I wouldn't do this if you are still under warranty though....
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
Volkswagen are currently giving away a dongle that fits into the car's OBD port (small socket usually under the steering wheel). It then pairs with your phone, and using an app you can see things like
Your last trip , shown on google maps
Your efficiency
How you drive
Where you parked the car
and a few other bits n bobs.
People are selling these on eBay and the VW parts shop sells them for about £40 but until the end of December these are free.
My VW garage tried to sucker me into paying £500 for a service with the tempt of one of theese dongles... but then I asked VW where to buy one and they told me it was free... sure enough if you check the website link given (vwconnect.com) you can see on there that it is free.
Just pop into your local VW garage and ask for one. If they try to get you to do a service, remind them that the website actually says the device is free. But I was also warned that the garages have a limited number of them. I picked one up today and it was fairly interesting. Driving efficiency is quite interesting to me as I drive long distances... but the other features are nice too. It will report issues to the phone as well.
Yes.. it's similar to Torque pro but with less stuff and some other things that Torque doesn't have ... but the main point is the official VW dongle is currently FREE.
enjoy.
All comments (121)
What costs can I expect?
Does my DataPlug consume electricity when I park and leave my vehicle?
So sounds good, no need to remove.
... :sweat_smile: (Only kidding. Hot!)
It's a DSG
I think they have a few bugs, but it was only recently released. Probably better to write a review on the app store or email the develoepers directly: [email protected]volkswagen.de
I think, this is basically a gimmick to get users to service their vehicles more often. My guess is they are giving it away for free because the app reminds you about servicing and points you to potential issues.
If you like the idea, check out Torque pro. I got it for free with my car head unit but I bought a £5 OBD dongle from eBay to use with Torque. If you haven't tried it.. it's quite cool. Shows lots more detail like turbo boost pressure etc.
As for your other comment about insurance companies. you think VW can just sell the data to an insurance company without your permission / approval ? I think the data protection act says that this would be highly illegal. But if you don't want a free dongle, don't get one ? Problem solved. Am not at all worried about the data on this thing. It bluetooths to your phone. It doesn't say aha lets upload every single detail about the car and driver to HQ... I'm sure some crafty Germans have already taken it apart and analysed the app as well but since you have determined how it works without even having one I guess you probably won't be interested in the outcome.
Regarding the data not sure myself as to whether VW will sell it on or maybe the app will somehow store the data. Maybe I am making a big deal out of it but with all this data someone somewhere is going to misuse it.
Mines been plugged in for about 3 years with no problems.
Does this just work on Volkswagen models or can any car use this?
I believe this device will do similar.
It could also be used as a black box in a accident. Speed travelling etc
If you did have an accident, the ECU on modern cars will record impact speed. So that info is already saved in the car, again the dongle just makes that data accessible to the user.
I have myself a VW, so I am not anti VW, just against items like this that ‘track’ you. Whether your intentions are pure or not, it’s just not secure in terms of personal info transfer.
Feel like I’m claiming VW are big brother, like some Illuminati out to get you :grin:
Each to there own but personally I wouldn't want something like that.
I BTW OWN a Audi so not against the Vag group just think we have a major problem with privacy
The privacy statement says :
Data such as, DataPlug's serial number, mileage, speed, the country selected in the app, etc. are levied pseudonymized by Volkswagen AG for statistical reporting purposes.
So your data is pseudonymized. meaning it doesn't contain directly personal information e.g. your name.
and..
The transfer of personal data to third parties only takes place insofar as this is necessary for the execution of the contract, in particular the provision of the VW Connect services. This is the case, for example, if the location of the vehicle is displayed using the Google Maps service of Google Inc. ("Google").
finally
When using services that do not require login, the data transmission is carried out exclusively between the Volkswagen DataPlug in your vehicle and the VW Connect app on your mobile device (see below under I.).
so you are under no obligation to login and if you don't no data will be sent anywhere at all.
So there you have it. It does not say that they will transfer it to any 3rd party they feel like (e.g. insurance companies). If they did... it would be illegal.
My personal thought: what would VW have to gain from illegally sharing your data with an insurance company? it would be extremely detrimental to them. It's like the current Boeing / bombardier case where a US military man said they could simply turn off the attack helicopters computers and they would be useless.... do you think anyone would buy from Boeing if they did ?
People are still going to say ah but
In a serious accident VW will have to hand over all information to who ever they are ordered to.
Although the comment about the Boeing thing was a little less well constructed. The point with that was that if there is indeed a all out world war 3, and either someone compromised Boeing or if they themselves decided to be on the "other side" they could quite easily cause massive damage/problems for the US. I know it is unlikely they would do so of their own volition, but the fact that the *risk* is there, is enough for them to do something about it. That in of itself is a lot more problematic in any of it's worst case scenarios, than the worst that could happen if VAG decided it was to contravene all of it's internal/gov mandated/other countries policies and laws, which would be what, knowing where people who drive VAG group drivers (not necessarily owners) drive and how they drive.
I think we're somewhat going off-topic though :smile:
dailymail.co.uk/new…tml
The person in question was referring to shutting down UK helicopters sold by Boeing in a stupid tit-for-tat move about the whole Bombadier thing. But yeah, off topic. Let's wait for the next person to moan about the dataplug which they aren't going to obtain and use ... :wink:
Thanks OP!
But the OBD dongle for use with something like Torque pro only costs about a fiver on eBay. For example:
ebay.co.uk/itm…KQ7
Make sure it has the ELM327 chipset and it should work whichever one you get.
The VW dataplugs cost a lot more if you have to buy one. Perhaps in the future (might already) they might hack the dongles to be more compatible? who knows. But my £5 one from ebay works just fine in all the apps i've tried it with.
In the "Questions and Answers" section in the "VwDataPlug" drop down it says "Where can I buy the VW Connect Dataplug" - the answer to this is "You can buy the DataPlug at any Volkswagen Service Partner"
Fifth item in the list
What costs can I expect?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Chassis number -> DVLA -> Number Plate -> Records of drivers insured to drive
Chassis number -> VW -> Number Plate -> Records of drivers insured to drive
The app may request access to phone number or IMEI and that would also link the driver and car at a given time.
Only a worry if you're a half decent assassin and need to keep your movements under wraps.
However, I couldn't care less if I'm logged... may inadvertently give me an alibi for a crime I didn't commit even!!
Any manufacturer app is pretty much guaranteed to be kak so another recommendation for bluetooth OBD reader and Torque (even the free one is great).
Interesting video about the device VW Connect
There may be no privacy concerns currently, but I'd be cautious when and if the app gets updated and you have to accept new terms and conditions to continue using the device. Many carelessly accept these without realising the information they are actually giving away.
I'm not saying this should really concern anyone who has one of these. I just think it's a great move that will ultimately allow VW to provide a better service to their customers.
Anyone with a modern Seat that has a direct VW family member should be good to go.
Great deal. Thanks op / capitalism.
if you are worried about VW collecting your data just buy an ELM plugin on ebay £5 at most.
Its data mining by VW and they're giving them away free because it suits them too, not as a special gift to owners.
Thanks OP, picking mine up Monday. Got a couple of VW's I can try it with.
I wouldn’t have one of these - they could easily try getting out of warranty claims if they decide you have not been driving within their spec.
I get fuel used, average MPG, fuel left, and mileage from the trip computer and the central display tells me about driving efficiency anyway.
My car tells me more useful stuff than this as is.
Even if you dont have that, is there not a little gauge on your dash tells you how much fuel you've left and the miles you've done? Do you really need an App for that??
You may be told the battery voltage, but it doesnt tell you if its normal or not? Whats the point in that? If you ask VW via feedback they tell you to ring the dealer to find out....
If your car doesnt have that stuff anyway then fine, but to me its gimmicky and is designed to increase your touch points with the dealer and give VW driving data.
Thanks OP!
The forums are littered with people having the same issues as me post fix, yet they deny it being an issue.
All I want is the fix reversing so I have the car I initially purchased back!
Bluetooth obd
___________
Purchased this one :smile: - ebay.co.uk/itm…649
vwemissionsaction.com/
also, it's quite easy to reverse the ECU flashing, just go to a dealer who does tuning and un-do the flashing. I wouldn't do this if you are still under warranty though....