VW Upgrades The Golf’s Infotainment Hardware And Software To Make It Faster

Since its introduction in 2019, the Volkswagen Golf Mk8 has been criticized for its MIB3 infotainment system which appeared to have glitches and perform slowly on certain occasions. In order to address those issues, VW announced a hardware and software upgrade for new vehicles which will make the system respond faster while improving the voice control function.

Starting with the hardware, the system gets a more powerful System on Chip (SoC) with a four-core CPU offering a 25 percent increase in computing capacity, alongside a new graphics card featuring triple the performance of the original. According to VW, this translates to a faster response from the navigation which will show results in less than five seconds after typing the desired destination and faster scrolling through lists.

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Another important upgrade is the new voice control function that responds up to four times faster than before. It will also understand freely worded phrases such as “I’m cold”, have the capability of asking questions, allow interruptions, and recognize if the driver or the front passenger is speaking in order to customize the A/C unit accordingly.

The automaker suggests that the comprehension rate of the voice control has “improved substantially” to around 95 percent, and is capable of integrating “intelligent online functions such as news or weather reports” in the future. In order to remain active at all times, voice control suggestions come from the cloud and/or the vehicle’s own database for places such as underground car parks where there is no internet connection.

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Last but not least, VW improved the operation of the touchscreen by blocking the buttons around the hazard warning light switch when the user’s fingers are within centimeters from the screen using the proximity sensor. When the finger touches the screen the volume and temperature sliders are also blocked, avoiding unintentional activation.

Unfortunately, existing owners won’t get the upgraded hardware but at least they will receive the software update which will improve the system’s performance. VW will contact the owners starting from early 2022 to explain the voluntary service process.

The eighth-gen Golf has been beset in the past by problems with the infotainment system. Software issues have forced VW to halt deliveries between May and June 2020, and caused a recall in early 2021. The latest upgrade will hopefully fix any remaining glitches and address the main complaints of customers.