Volkswagen Offers Complimentary Connected Vehicle Emergency Services for 5 Years

In a bid to enhance the safety of its vehicles, Volkswagen is offering its Car-Net Safe & Secure plan for five years to owners of model-year 2020-23 VWs — at no additional cost.

Related: VW’s Curfew, Valet Alerts Keep You From Getting Ferris Bueller’d

Gasoline-powered models equipped with Car-Net can receive automatic crash notifications, emergency assistance, stolen-vehicle locator and anti-theft alerts. The all-electric ID.4 will get emergency assistance and automatic crash notifications only. For vehicles that are equipped with Car-Net, coverage begins as soon as owners create a myVW account and accept the terms of service for both myVW and Car-Net, and it lasts for five years after the car’s sale date or June 1, 2023, whichever comes later.

Owners can use Car-Net’s emergency services via the SOS button in their vehicle, which can put them in contact with an operator to get emergency services dispatched to their vehicle. The automatic crash notification feature automatically notifies a Car-Net operator to quickly dispatch first responders to the collision site. The service’s anti-theft alerts will send push notifications to the owner if the car’s alarm is triggered, and the stolen-vehicle locator helps law enforcement determine the location of the vehicle.

In addition to strengthening safety, some of Car-Net’s other features enhance vehicle usability. For example, the Remote Access feature allows owners to interact with their vehicle via the smartphone app so they can start their car, operate the door locks, honk the horn and flash the lights. Owners can also view their car’s estimated fuel range and check if any windows or doors are open. Remote Access also includes roadside call assist and a service that gives alerts on vehicle speeds, boundaries and valets.

Volkswagen’s decision to make the service free is the result of a recent carjacking in Chicago that involved a child. The child was reunited with their family, but law enforcement’s ability to track the stolen Atlas was delayed by a request for a subscription payment.

More From Cars.com:

• Wanna Connect? VW’s Car-Net Connected Services Newly Updated, Widely Standard
• Should We Renew the Car-Net Subscription for Our Volkswagen Atlas?
• Here’s Every Car That Earned an IIHS Top Safety Award for 2023
• More Volkswagen News
• Find Your Next Car

Related Video:

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.