VW, Cupra and Skoda car connectivity set for Australia with new Android infotainment system

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The Volkswagen Group is moving to a new Google Android Automotive-based operating system that will debut in the Cupra Raval electric hatchback from mid-2026, before rolling out to many other Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra models.

The new “VW.OS” system uses Android Automotive — a full vehicle software stack not to be confused with Android Auto smartphone mirroring — as a new basis for in-car software.

Built atop an open-source Android base, VW.OS has built-in connectivity features that are designed to be ‘always on’, with the car constantly connected to the mobile network.

That unlocks features like full vehicle over-the-air software update capability and quick security updates, but it should also see Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra cars offer full smartphone app-driven connectivity in Australia for the first time.

Global Cupra product executives confirmed that the rollout of the system was underway and that the Australian market would be a beneficiary of the tech.

Cupra Australia brand director Jerome Figuiere told Chasing Cars that the manufacturer was considering how best to implement an orderly changeover.

“Yes, the connected services will come to Australia. Whether it will come at the same time as the Raval – we are working on this,” he said.

“We are working on the date — not only one that suits the Raval, but something that suits the entire range. If we are going to launch connectivity, we are not going to launch it for one model; we are going to launch it for the full range,” said Figuiere. 

The Android-powered system is built into the new Cupra Raval which launches in the coming months in Europe and late 2027 or early 2028 in Australia.

However, the first car to hit the Australian market with VW.OS will likely be the facelifted version of the Cupra Born, which is under close consideration for local sales.

Later this year Cupra is also expected to update the Tavascan electric midsize SUV, which could be another point at which Cupra Australia would press ‘go’ on the range-wide connectivity upgrade foreshadowed by Figuiere.

Under the skin, the VW.OS system replaces Volkswagen’s outgoing MIB3 system that was developed in house with a much more limited hardware and software stack that made it difficult to add features over time.

MIB3 is what is used in the existing Cupra Born as well as cars like the Cupra Formentor and Leon, as well as the Volkswagen Golf Mk 8, the new Tiguan, and the Skoda Octavia.

Car connectivity — which allows owners to do things like control climate control and digital key functions from their phone — was an add-on feature for MIB3 that never made it to markets like Australia or Singapore due to mobile network and other issues.

VW.OS has much more powerful centralised computing hardware and deeper integration with vehicle systems like ADAS and climate control.

All the extra power also means the in-car infotainment systems — which are still skinned by Volkswagen — feel crisper and faster to operate.

Expect to see the Volkswagen Group roll out VW.OS across all models that do not already have a modern hardware/software stack. Many of the Group’s premium models, particularly from Audi and Porsche, already use a different modernised setup.