App connect can now be retro fitted

[Watts]

It must be my age, but I fail to see why any of what this does in necessary.

Me too dubber36, and yes, it probably is an age thing. I'm of an age where I can remember buying a brand new car that didn't even have a bog standard LW/MW radio fitted as standard. I don't have App Connect in my current car and manage quite well without it. IMO there are enough distractions in modern day cars without adding more.

+3? for that (not too good at counting). There may well be a really good reason for people wanting these things but I just don't get it. Auto lights, auto wipers, auto my arse

[Briggsy]

Google satnav > VW satnav

[Booth11]

I'm going to buck the trend and say that App-connect is a very good addition and well worth having.  Along with all the other modern tech (like it or not) it is yet another seamless offering, for those that do use a smart phone, giving the ability to access all media/calls/maps etc from one simple interface.  It's, ime, much more user friendly and far less clunky than the in-built media etc.  Can you live without it - of course, just as you can live without e-handrake, ACC, DCC (that nearly ended up as AC/DC, lol), auto lights and wipers, rear cam, HBA, DLA, keyless, pedal boxes, tuning boxes, aftermarket wheels, mudguards, wind deflectors, aftermarket spoilers, roof wraps, mirror wraps, personalised reg plates.......

[fredgroves]

I can't live without AC/DC 

[dubber36]

Can you live without it - of course, just as you can live without roof wraps, mirror wraps, personalised reg plates.......

 

[Exonian]

It must be my age, but I fail to see why any of what this does in necessary.

Me too dubber36, and yes, it probably is an age thing. I'm of an age where I can remember buying a brand new car that didn't even have a bog standard LW/MW radio fitted as standard. I don't have App Connect in my current car and manage quite well without it. IMO there are enough distractions in modern day cars without adding more.

The unfortunate truth of it all is that modern cars reflect modern drivers.
You have DSG with ACC and off you go, you have nothing to do except play with gadgets and look up occasionally and get impatient with other drivers who have the audacity to be on the road at the same time as you. Oh and an occasional steering manoeuvre.
It's not just VW's that are increasingly filled with gadgets, far from it.
Look in your mirror when driving through any city centre and where is the person in the car behind looking? Certainly not where they're going 90% of the time, usually at a screen that's either built into the car or sat in their lap.

I work with RoSPA trained driver trainers (I was nearly unwillingly shunted into one of those positions myself not so long ago) and unfortunately these driver trainers are fighting a losing battle against modern motorists who have no interest in anything but getting from A to B as impatiently and badly as possible.
If you drive properly then you try not to stop the vehicle if at all possible, using anticipation and gears rather than impatience, a heavy right foot and heavy unnecessary braking. 99% of the population drive diving in and out of lanes thinking the world ends at the front edge of their bonnet.
So at least you can distract yourself from the thoughts that the rest of humanity is doomed if you have App Connect yourself. If you can't beat 'em...

[Booth11]

I can't live without AC/DC 

 

Can you live without it - of course, just as you can live without roof wraps, mirror wraps, personalised reg plates.......

 

 

The unfortunate truth of it all is that modern cars reflect modern drivers.
You have DSG with ACC and off you go, you have nothing to do except play with gadgets and look up occasionally and get impatient with other drivers who have the audacity to be on the road at the same time as you. Oh and an occasional steering manoeuvre.
It's not just VW's that are increasingly filled with gadgets, far from it.
Look in your mirror when driving through any city centre and where is the person in the car behind looking? Certainly not where they're going 90% of the time, usually at a screen that's either built into the car or sat in their lap.

I work with RoSPA trained driver trainers (I was nearly unwillingly shunted into one of those positions myself not so long ago) and unfortunately these driver trainers are fighting a losing battle against modern motorists who have no interest in anything but getting from A to B as impatiently and badly as possible.
If you drive properly then you try not to stop the vehicle if at all possible, using anticipation and gears rather than impatience, a heavy right foot and heavy unnecessary braking. 99% of the population drive diving in and out of lanes thinking the world ends at the front edge of their bonnet.
So at least you can distract yourself from the thoughts that the rest of humanity is doomed if you have App Connect yourself. If you can't beat 'em...

So someone with App-connect (and dares to like it) is a crap driver?  Someone with DSG and App-connect must be a candidate for having their licence rescinded? 

[Exonian]

So someone with App-connect (and dares to like it) is a crap driver?  Someone with DSG and App-connect must be a candidate for having their licence rescinded?

Yeah, I'm a proper motoring puritan me 

What I suggested was that those I quoted, and those wasn't the only posts along those lines, should accept this is the way motoring is going and "if you can't beat them, join them" i.e. Get app connect themselves (tongue in cheek suggestion).
I alluded to the vast majority of motorists who are not regulars on car forums and care not a jot about their driving skills. As I said, look in your mirror in traffic and see how many heads you see nodding up and down playing with gizmos whilst controlling a vehicle.
I also alluded to cars becoming semi autonomous so therefore drivers are thinking less about what they're doing, or at least should be doing. As cars become more sophisticated and traffic gets worse then App Connect's future generations will be more of a focus to those in the car than ever.
Here's my local road situation when I have to head into the city http://m.devonlive.com/average-speed-through-exeter-is-4-6mph-as-city-is-named-worst-for-traffic-in-uk/story-30149035-detail/story.html (excuse exceptionally crap website) so is it any wonder driving standards are bloody awful?

From a professional point of view I've sat a lot of courses on driving safety and the aftermath of accidents. Some of these do wake you up a bit. So in purist terms then anything that distracts you from the roads and potential hazards even momentarily is bad (unless you're parked up skiving off work  ) but in reality things are very different. 
I despise driving in traffic these days so I'll just shut up now.

[Booth11]

So someone with App-connect (and dares to like it) is a crap driver?  Someone with DSG and App-connect must be a candidate for having their licence rescinded?

Yeah, I'm a proper motoring puritan me 

What I suggested was that those I quoted, and those wasn't the only posts along those lines, should accept this is the way motoring is going and "if you can't beat them, join them" i.e. Get app connect themselves (tongue in cheek suggestion).
I alluded to the vast majority of motorists who are not regulars on car forums and care not a jot about their driving skills. As I said, look in your mirror in traffic and see how many heads you see nodding up and down playing with gizmos whilst controlling a vehicle.
I also alluded to cars becoming semi autonomous so therefore drivers are thinking less about what they're doing, or at least should be doing. As cars become more sophisticated and traffic gets worse then App Connect's future generations will be more of a focus to those in the car than ever.
Here's my local road situation when I have to head into the city http://m.devonlive.com/average-speed-through-exeter-is-4-6mph-as-city-is-named-worst-for-traffic-in-uk/story-30149035-detail/story.html (excuse exceptionally crap website) so is it any wonder driving standards are bloody awful?

From a professional point of view I've sat a lot of courses on driving safety and the aftermath of accidents. Some of these do wake you up a bit. So in purist terms then anything that distracts you from the roads and potential hazards even momentarily is bad (unless you're parked up skiving off work  ) but in reality things are very different. 
I despise driving in traffic these days so I'll just shut up now.

Well that told me, lol.   I'll go just shut up now too.

The tongue-in-cheek, between the lines point was, that despite fancy tech etc, which has huge potential to distract and yes, there's evidence of it in every line of traffic - a decent driver does have the ability to control that distraction by er....not getting distracted, and from a personal perspective I find App-connect far less clunky than the in-built system which in turn means less faffing around trying to get it to do what you want it to do (as is the case with the latter) that potential distraction is greatly reduced. And as for DSG, well as you rarely have to take a hand off the steering wheel, especially with e-handbrake and auto hold....full control. ACC you can keep, like you I'm a fan of engine braking but if the pedal does need pushing I'll do that myself and I'm partial to controlling the speed myself, I consider it a driving privilege. 

Now I'll shut up. 

[fredgroves]

Ahhhh the good old days of proper motoring.

I don't need no stinking technology