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Despite the Golf being one of Volkswagen’s most affordable and ubiquitous models, the all-new Mk8 version is set to be one of the brand’s most advanced. In addition to a fully digital gauge cluster, the new Golf comes with cutting-edge Car2X technology that lets it communicate with other cars and objects up to 875 yards away.
From Automotive News, this means drivers can be warned of traffic ahead or incoming emergency vehicles. Volkswagen says it’ll be useful in warning surrounding vehicles of emergency braking situations and even improve overall traffic flow. Going against the standard practice of debuting new tech in higher-end cars and letting it trickle downward, the Golf will be VW’s very first car to get Car2X.
All trims of the German compact will also be continuously connected to the Volkswagen’s own We platform that lets drivers store their custom vehicle settings such as dash display settings, seating position, and ambient lighting configurations in the cloud. They can also purchase over-the-air upgrades like automatic cruise control and make their VW a wireless hotspot.
“The real revolution is in the interior,” said Golf marketing manager Nicole Hempe. “With the Innovision Cockpit, analog dials are history. We have worked hard to incorporate as many features in the standard version as possible.” The Mk8 Golf is built on an updated version of the MQB platform that underpinned the Mk7 but its electrical wiring reportedly had to undergo a complete overhaul to cope with all of the car’s fancy tech.
Regardless of what you might think of always-connected cars and digitally withholding features, we have to admit that Volkswagen is offering a lot of tech for what is a relatively entry-level People’s Car. In Europe, at least. VW’s latest gizmos may not be accessible in the U.S. thanks to rumors that the new Golf will only be available here as the hotted-up GTI or Golf R.
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