As cars become more connected, a range of clever apps to interact with them has popped up. BMW offers up a clever personal assistant, and Volvo will let you lock your car, check the fuel level and activate the heating using an Apple Watch. Now, Volkswagen will let you keep track of all servicing using the (inventively named) My Volkswagen app.
At its core, the My Volkswagen app is all about keeping a handle on what's happening in your car. Families with multiple VW cars in their garage are able to see all their vehicles in the one place, and even track cars that haven't arrived as they progress from the factory to the dealer and, eventually, their driveway.
The real benefit of a system like this comes when it's time to get the car serviced. Rather than having to consult the service book to work out when it's time for a service, the app is able to keep a detailed log of all services and government checks carried out on the car in its history. Buyers can also use the app to book services, and receive warnings about when the car might need a check up based on mileage driven.
Once the car has been booked in, owners are able to see the car making its way through the workshop, and can approve work on any problems found during the service or, if they're feeling a little stingy, tell the dealer to put it off until next time.
Of course, all of this benefits Volkswagen as well: the service department is a great money spinner for dealerships, and making it easier for people to book and visit authorised local service departments makes them less likely to get work done at the little garage around the corner.
At the moment, the app is being put to the test in the UK, where owners are being prompted to download it when they visit the dealership. VW will be taking feedback from customers on this current iteration, before incorporating their feedback into future versions.
Source: Volkswagen
