Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has given its California app a significant overhaul just in time for peak camping season, adding a host of new features that make life easier whether you’re heading to a festival, the coast or the mountains.
The updated app now includes access to more than 45,000 camping locations across the British Isles, with improved search filters, bookmarking and sharing functions designed to take some of the pain out of finding somewhere to stay.
The biggest addition is the integration of what3words, allowing California owners to navigate to remote campsites with pinpoint accuracy. If you’ve ever tried explaining to someone exactly where you’ve parked in the middle of nowhere, you’ll know why that’s useful.
Owners of newer California models also gain expanded remote vehicle controls. Fresh water levels, auxiliary battery charge, cabin temperature and other vehicle data can all be monitored from a smartphone, while compatible models even allow users to raise or lower the electric pop-up roof remotely and control the onboard fridge temperature.
And Volkswagen has introduced a new Travel Hub feature, complete with trip countdowns, saved destinations and suggestions for nearby scenic locations that might otherwise be missed.
The update follows Skoda’s recent introduction of a Camp Mode within its MySkoda app for EVs, suggesting Volkswagen Group is placing increasing emphasis on the digital experience that surrounds camper van ownership, not just the vehicles themselves.
For many owners, the smartphone is quickly becoming as essential as the camping stove.
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