The ŠKODA KODIAQ has some very cool features that you may not know about. One of those features is gesture control, which allows you to use your hand as a mouse to navigate through menus and settings on the infotainment system.
Gesture Features
The ŠKODA KODIAQ offers a few gestures, which you can use to control certain features:
- Swipe up on the bottom of the steering wheel to activate voice recognition
- Double-tap the right side of your steering wheel for changing music tracks
- When the car is stationary, you can double-tap on the front window to deactivate child locks (if enabled)
- Swipe down on top of the steering wheel activates hands-free mode (if enabled). This feature may vary depending on your car model, market, and other factors
How To Identify The Menu (Hand Icon)
You can find the hand icon on any screen or while using certain apps. For example, you can find it at the top right corner of every page, just below the main menus bar icons. Swipe downwards with your finger from anywhere on the screen; you should see an overlay appear, providing two options: 'Menu' and 'Home'.
Tap "Menu", then you'll notice that all pages throughout ŠKODA's infotainment system will display additional items called "quick access buttons". These allow for quick recording and playback of recently used navigation destinations and media files.
As a quick reminder, you can swipe up from the bottom of your screen to access main menus, including 'Radio', 'Media' and 'Map'. It is also where you'll find options for adjusting settings such as brightness, sound volume, or language preference too.
How To Use the System
If the menu is not displayed, swipe from right to left on your screen. You can also swipe up or down for quick scrolling through other parts of the menu system.
To scroll back and forth within a particular page, like if you're in navigation mode but want to quickly see what's going on in settings while still having access to map elements, tap anywhere below that setting (e.g., "settings"). Then use your fingertip as though you were flicking an actual switch up and down until you get where you need to go next time around instead of hitting another button at all costs.
A Breakdown Of The Infotainment System
The infotainment system is available to use via the touchscreen, steering wheel buttons, and voice controls. To operate it with these features, you will need some knowledge of how they work. You can use the touchpad as a mouse by simply moving your finger over the pad on the screen.
You can select certain functions or elements by tapping them as well as pressing down for more options. You can also use the touchpad to swipe across the screen. The buttons on the steering wheel control audio and phone functions, as well as voice commands that you activate by saying "Hey ŠKODA".
If your vehicle gets a flat tire or is involved in an accident, it will automatically send out an SOS message through the mobile network if its Bluetooth connection with your smartphone is active at this time. The infotainment system has also integrated features such as GPS navigation (with free map updates for three years), radio station listings and playlists, MPQ player compatibility, and Google services like Waze traffic information app integration. With these different options available - both standard and hidden ones - drivers should find operating their infotainment systems easy and convenient.
Which Screens Can You Use Gestures On?
You can use the ŠKODA KODIAQ hidden gesture features on the following screens:
- Audio menu - swipe up to increase volume, swipe down to decrease it
- Radio - tap the screen three times in a row quickly to skip songs. Tap once slowly and hold for one second to go back a track. Swiping across the display from right to left or vice versa while listening to music will bring up the forward and back menu
- Navigation - swipe left or right while navigating to change between screens; use pinch gestures on Apple Maps to zoom in/out, double-tap for an overview of your route
- Telephone and voice recognition - use two fingers to select
What Does The User Need To Do?
You can swipe down on the home screen to reveal an app drawer. It will display all your installed apps in alphabetical order by default, but you can also group them into folders or select custom sort options if you desire.
You can also swipe left or right on the home screen to access a range of quick settings options. For example, it will allow them to switch between different profiles quickly, adjust display and brightness settings, and toggle aeroplane mode.
The user can then tap an app icon once to open it up for use. Alternatively, you could long-press on specific apps, which might bring about some additional features such as shortcut menus with further actions that you can take.
What Can You Adjust In The Cockpit Display Using The Steering Wheel?
Most cars have steering wheel controls to adjust the car sound system, but ŠKODA has taken this one step further. The top of the steering wheel has a touchpad that you can use for navigation, inputting letters and numbers on your smartphone, or even scrolling through various menus. It is straightforward to use; tap it lightly with your finger, try circling in different motions until you get used to how much pressure will respond.
There's no need for firm presses. You can also use gestures such as swiping left/right once again without pressing hard at all. You'll feel a slight vibration across the touchpad when you swipe so that you know if it's successful or not. It works particularly well even when wearing gloves in cold weather.
How Can You Customise This?
On the KODIAQ, there are many ways you can customise your infotainment system. Customising each element is easier than it looks. For example, the process for customising the infotainment system's centre display is straightforward.
First, you need to tap on "Settings" and then scroll down until you get to "Home screen." From there, choose your favourite apps or select a personalised wallpaper image. You can also use this screen to show off an awesome clock that tells time in multiple ways.
The bottom line here is that customisation works well with this ŠKODA brand car because every element seems intuitive enough that you can change it without needing to read a manual.
How To Connect A Phone Via Bluetooth for Both AndroidAuto and Apple CarPlay?
You can control Android Auto and CarPlay via Bluetooth, but you must first connect your phone by going to the settings menu. Once there, navigate to "Settings" > "Connectivity" > "Bluetooth". It should take you directly to a screen where all the available devices (phones) that are connected will show up. From here, tap on the device that you want to connect with.
If your phone is already connected but not in use for either of these features, it will show up here twice. First, to re-connect a previously paired Bluetooth connection: Open your "Settings" menu. Next, navigate to "Connected Devices" Scroll down until you see the name of the previous Bluetooth pairing under "Paired Devices" Tap on the name of that device, and it should connect automatically.
What Can Screens Show In The Virtual Cockpit View?
You can set the virtual cockpit to show different screens depending on the driver's preference.
- The Navigation screen: shows speed and distance to destination. You can mark the vehicle's current position with a blue arrow, and the next manoeuvre appears in yellow
- The Media screen: shows the media source and track/program information
- The Phone screen: displays incoming calls and phone book entries
- The Control screen: allows you to adjust settings for several vehicle features. If you can show any part of this display in greater detail when touched, it will appear briefly with an “i” next to it
- The Vehicle Information screen: shows statistics about your car’s status and operating mode
How To Change Music Using The Gesture Control And The Steering Wheel Control Buttons?
The ŠKODA KODIAQ has two steering wheel control buttons on each side. These are very useful to change music and stations without taking your hands off the steering wheel. To use them, press one of the four arrow symbols below a station or song name - up, down, left, or right depending on which way you want to move the song or station.
The steering wheel control buttons can mute, pause, and play songs while listening to the radio or music from a CD/USB device. To do this, press both arrow symbols at once; you will see them written in blue on top of each other.
How To Set The Clock And ŠKODA Connect?
To start with, how to set the clock. It's simple - press and hold down on the screen when you're in a car menu (such as Radio or Phone) for around ten seconds. A pop-up will appear asking what time zone you're in; then, from there, you can press and drag the clock hands to suit your preference.
It's straightforward to use, and everything is in a way that makes sense. When setting up ŠKODA Connect, you'll notice that there is a lot of feedback when you press the screen, and it's almost like each image appears to be 'clickable' - but they’re just buttons.
For most people, the ŠKODA KODIAQ will be an excellent choice when considering a new car. It is safe, practical, and with its infotainment system that has hidden features to help you control your music or phone settings without having to touch anything.