Volkswagen’s first over-the-air software update for the ID family of electric vehicles brought software version 2.3 last summer. It introduced improvements to the infotainment system, headlights, and others, but now the Wolfsburg-based automaker is launching an even more significant software update.
ID. Software 3.0 is here with a raft of updates, covering charging functionality, assistance systems, and many other tech aspects of the ID family. The first to receive it are the cars that are being produced currently, but later in the year, the software will be provided to cars that have already been delivered.
Gallery: VW software family 3.0
One of the highlights of the new software is the so-called Park Assist Plus with Memory Function, which allows the driver to teach the software up to five different parking maneuvers. The feature remembers parking maneuvers at speeds below 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour) with a travel distance of up to 164 feet (50 meters). For instance, the driver can teach the system how to park the car in a garage and save the parking maneuver. Once saved, the maneuver can be replicated by the car autonomously.
Another major update brings higher charging speeds for the ID cars fitted with the 77 kWh battery. The DC charging functionality now has a maximum power of 135 kW instead of 125 kW. Drivers can also expect improved driving range, especially in cold weather, due to improvements to the thermal management of the battery. Last but least, there’s a new Battery Care Mode, which limits the charge level of the battery to 80 percent, thus ensuring the longevity of the battery.
ID. Software 3.0 also introduces upgrades to the displays in the ID electric vehicles. The optional head-up display, for example, now projects additional information such as new symbols and information on the distance to the final destination.
One thing ID users will probably be happy to hear is that the instrument cluster now displays the remaining charge in the battery in percentage form, next to a battery icon that shows the charge level. This novelty comes as an answer to customer request Volkswagen has received over the last several months.
