Volkswagen halts Golf 8 deliveries due to software glitch

Published May 18, 2020

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Wolfsburg, Germany - Volkswagen has halted deliveries of its new Golf 8 in Europe, and is preparing to issue a recall after a software problem was discovered in some vehicles, the company announced on Friday.

The tech issue concerns the emergency call assistance function known as eCall, which automatically makes a free call if the car is involved in a serious road accident. At least 30 000 cars are affected, according to sources close to the company.

Production of the Golf will continue for the time being, but all new vehicles will be kept off the market until the issue is fully resolved.

Volkswagen said it had been "established in the course of internal investigations that in some Golf 8 models unreliable data transmission at the control unit may occur. Therefore, the function of the emergency call assistant could not be fully guaranteed."

The eight-generation Golf is expected to reach South Africa either in late 2020 or early 2021, with the 180kW GTI version spearheading the local roll-out.

According to Volkswagen, this new-generation Golf represents the nameplate’s greatest leap forward since its debut 45 years ago.

Not only is it more electrified than before, with five hybrid versions available at launch, but Volkswagen has fully digitised the cabin, while also introducing advanced car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure technologies as well as new driver-assist features that allow semi-autonomous driving, with steering, throttle and braking assistance, at speeds of up to 210km/h.

Inside, virtually all of the new Golf's displays and controls are now digital, with a new high-mounted touchscreen infotainment system melding seamlessly into the digital instrument cluster, while a head-up display system will be available as an option. And advanced new voice control system, designed to respond to natural voice commands, is also part of the deal in the new Golf, while Amazon’s Ask Alexa system is also directly integrated into the vehicle.

Through its We Connect and We Connect Plus systems, the new Golf is always online, and a function called We Upgrade will make it possible for customers to activate new systems further down the line. And soon you won’t even need a key to access the new Golf, thanks to a new ‘Mobile Key’ function that will allow owners to use their smartphones to open and start the car, although it appears that will be limited to Samsung devices.

Another interesting new feature, although likely to be limited to Europe, is the standard Car2SX technology that uses swarm intelligence to warn of hazards ahead of time. This car literally communicates with the infrastructure as well as other cars equipped with the technology.

DPA & IOL

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