New Volkswagen Golf deliveries SUSPENDED over software problem – could affect SEAT, Skoda and Audi too

Volkswagen has suspended deliveries of the new Golf Mk 8 as software problems mean the emergency calls system doesn’t work properly.

This year should be a big year for Volkswagen, with the roll-out of the electric ID.3 and ID.4 and the latest Golf – the VW Golf Mk 8 – starting to hit the road.

But the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown of both factories and showrooms has put paid to those plans, although VW hopes things will improve enough in the coming months for things to return to some semblance of normality so the Golf and ID models can start to make an impact.

But, as is often the case, it never rains but it pours, and it seems VW has a bit more to worry about than just the problems around Covid-19.

Having restarted some production a few weeks ago, it’s now had to curtail that, already limited, volume thanks to low demand, but it’s also turned up a software problem in the new Golf Mk 8 and has now suspended all deliveries of the latest Golf until it has a fix.

All new cars now have to have an emergency call facility in Europe, and it seems the e-call software in the new Golf doesn’t work. So although VW are planning to carry on building the new Golf, they’re going to store them until they have a fix, with no deliveries happening at all.

It’s been rumoured for some time that VW’s headlong dive in to a more sophisticated software architecture for the new Golf and ID.3 and ID.4 has been causing delays and problems, and this seems to confirm it. And you have to wonder how many other bugs are going to materialise when the cars get out in to the wild properly.

As if that wasn’t enough of a headache for VW, it seems similar software problems are also evident in SEAT, Skoda and Audi models.