Oct 28, 2024
- H.E.L.P.® Alerts from Emergency Safety Solutions send notifications to oncoming vehicles that a Volkswagen vehicle is disabled.
- Road Awareness Alerts can provide Volkswagen drivers in-dash notifications when approaching disabled vehicles, emergency responders and other roadway hazards.
- These new features are available in most MY24 and MY25 Volkswagen vehicles with an active Safe & Secure subscription.
Reston, VA — Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced new collision avoidance alerts that can provide advance warning to Volkswagen drivers of oncoming roadside hazards and notify certain oncoming vehicles that a Volkswagen vehicle is disabled. Starting later this fall, this feature will be included with VW Car-Net Safe & Secure subscriptions at no additional charge for most MY24 and MY25 Volkswagen vehicles equipped with the proper technology.
Volkswagen is the first automaker in the United States to integrate H.E.L.P. ® (Hazard Enhanced Location Protocol) and Road Awareness collision avoidance alerts within a suite of connected vehicle services.
“Putting these collision avoidance alerts into Volkswagen vehicles advances our commitment to the safety of both our drivers and all others who are on the road,” said Rachael Zaluzec, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Brand Marketing at Volkswagen of America. “Volkswagen continues to democratize access to features that help both enhance vehicle safety and exceed the expectations of our vehicle owners.”
When a Volkswagen vehicle is disabled on the road, the driver can activate Vehicle H.E.L.P. mode which will send digital alerts to certain oncoming drivers notifying them that they are approaching a disabled vehicle. Vehicle H.E.L.P. can be activated manually when the driver turns on their hazard lights or automatically when airbags deploy. With Road Awareness Alerts, Volkswagen drivers can receive digital notifications when they are approaching certain disabled vehicles or in the path of an emergency vehicle. These alerts are delivered through cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology and give advanced warning to drivers allowing them more time to respond to potential danger on the road ahead.
“By working with Emergency Safety Solutions to implement H.E.L.P., Volkswagen continues to deliver on our mission to help make roads safer and lead the way in automotive safety technology,” states Frank Weith, Director of Engineering Connected Services at Volkswagen Group of America. “As the first OEM to adopt H.E.L.P.® Digital Alerts, this demonstrates the capability and flexibility of our Connectivity Platform in being able to quickly implement new technologies with innovative partners. We are committed to continuously enhancing the safety of our vehicles by leveraging existing and evolving cellular infrastructure to accelerate the implementation.”
These collision avoidance alerts are added into the Volkswagen Car-Net Safe & Secure plan, offered for most MY24 and new vehicles at no additional cost for the first five years after the vehicle’s original date of purchase. Safe & Secure allows owners to access Emergency Assistance through the SOS button in the vehicle, putting the driver in contact with the Volkswagen Response Center through a secure cellular connection for emergency assistance on the road. Volkswagen’s investment in connected vehicle-to-everything (CV2X) technology offers a more advanced and accurate experience than other driving applications on the market today. While external driving apps rely on crowd-sourced data, this new technology is using real-time vehicle-to-everything (V2X) data that is more accurate and updated.
These real-time vehicle hazard notifications are enabled through an V2X ecosystem of roadway user types communicating their status and location to VW vehicles, including Disabled Vehicles, Wrong Way Driver Approaching, Emergency Vehicle (moving), Emergency Vehicle (stationary), and Roadside Assistance Ahead. These features will be available on certain MY24 and MY25 vehicles equipped with the proper technology and an active VW Car-Net Safe & Secure subscription.
To learn more about VW Car-Net connected vehicle services and Safe & Secure features, visit Safe & Secure | Volkswagen (vw.com).
About Volkswagen
Volkswagen of America, Inc. is an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, which is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Volkswagen of America sells the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Golf GTI, Golf R, ID.4, Jetta, Jetta GLI, Taos, and Tiguan vehicles through more than 600 independent U.S. dealers. Volkswagen Group of America operates a state-of-the-art assembly facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee which produces Volkswagen brand vehicles including the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and the ID.4. The global Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Visit Volkswagen at www.vw.com to learn more.
“Car-Net”, “VW”, “Volkswagen” model names and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. This information and any vehicle specifications are preliminary and subject to change. Features and technical data apply to models offered in the USA. They may differ in other countries.
Always pay careful attention to the road, and do not drive while distracted.
Vehicle H.E.L.P.® and Roadside Awareness Alerts require myVW account, Car-Net Safe & Secure subscription, vehicle cellular and GPS connectivity, and acceptance of VW Car-Net Terms of Service. Alert services are provided by a third-party and availability of alert services vary based on vehicle equipment and continued availability of 4G LTE cellular service, which is outside of Volkswagen’s control. See Terms of Service for details. Message and data rates may apply.
Car-Net connected vehicle services are available on most MY20 and newer vehicles and require a trial or paid subscription, some of which may have their own terms and conditions. All connected vehicle services require the myVW app and myVW account, cellular connectivity, network compatible hardware, availability of vehicle GPS signal, and acceptance of Terms of Service. Not all services and features are available on all vehicles and some features may require the most recent software update. Services depend on connection to and continued availability of 4G LTE cellular service, which is outside of Volkswagen’s control. Services are not guaranteed or warranted in the event of 4G LTE network shutdowns, obsolescence, or other unavailability of cellular connectivity that relies on existing vehicle hardware. All services are subject to change, discontinuation, or cancellation without notice. Certain Car-Net connected vehicle services may require additional payment for emergency or other third-party services rendered such as towing or ambulance transport services. Message and data rates may apply for app and web features. Connected vehicle services are not available on most MY20 Passat vehicles. See Terms of Service, Privacy Statement, and other important information at vw.com/carnet.
5-year Car-Net Safe & Secure connected vehicle services available on most MY20 and newer vehicles. For customers who do not have an existing Safe & Secure plan, the Safe & Secure included plan will begin on original (new, unused) vehicle in-service (purchase) date or June 1, 2023, whichever is later. Connected vehicle services are not available on most MY20 Passat vehicles. Valid in the U.S. only. Rental fleet vehicles and vehicles that are or have been classified as totaled, salvaged, or rebuilt are not eligible. Paid subscription is required to continue services after included plan expires. Visit the shop tab in the myVW mobile app to see how much time is remaining on your Safe & Secure plan. All services and features may not be available on all vehicles. For example, ID.4 vehicles do not include Stolen Vehicle Location services or Anti-Theft Alerts, and MY21 ID.4 vehicles do not have the Information Assistance service.
Roadside Call Assist connects you to a Roadside Call Assist third-party provider and may require additional payment for services rendered. Information Assistance (i-call button) requires a paid subscription.
Emergency Assistance and Automatic Crash Notification require a paid Safe & Secure subscription and may require additional payment for emergency and other third-party services rendered.
Airbags are supplemental restraints only and will not deploy under all crash circumstances. Always use safety belts and seat children only in the rear, using restraint systems appropriate for their size and age. The Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS) will only activate in a collision where the airbags deploy or safety belt pretensioners activate. Not all collisions cause airbags to deploy or safety belt pretensioners to activate. Driver assistance features are not substitutes for attentive driving. See owner’s literature for important information.
