Enjoy learning the basics of driving in a fun way – the clever ŠKODA LittleDriver app makes this all possible from the back seat. With the newly developed ŠKODA app, children sitting in the rear can imitate the driver’s actions using a tablet. The highlight: thanks to the new ŠKODA SmartGate interface, the app works with real data from the car. SmartGate is currently available in the ŠKODA Fabia, Octavia, Rapid, Rapid Spaceback, Yeti and Superb models.
The ŠKODA LittleDriver app is fully interactive: children can copy the actions of the real driver and collect points when they are correct. Steering, acceleration, turning, braking – everything that the driver does, the player can imitate on a tablet in real time, giving rear passengers a virtual front row seat. The target group for the new app is children between nine and twelve years old.
In combination with SmartGate, the ŠKODA LittleDriver app is connected to the car’s infotainment system and can access a wealth of live vehicle data. Information such as speed, fuel level, brake status or oil pressure is displayed in real time on the tablet, and the ‘LittleDriver’ can use them for their virtual car journey.
Whilst playing, the user on the rear seat feels as if they were behind the wheel of the real vehicle. From the realistic sound of starting the engine to parking and turning off the engine – you are in the midst of the action. At the end of the game, the player is awarded points for the correct actions during the virtual journey. These points can be used to design the player’s own virtual ŠKODA, which can be configured individually in the app.
The range of virtual cars is versatile and attractive. A total of ten cars can be configured, including the spectacular Coupé design study ‘ŠKODA VisionC’, the legendary 1960 ŠKODA Felicia convertible and the current ŠKODA Octavia RS. There are four different car views, two specifications, seven body colours, three wheel designs and three decals to choose from for each model.
An important part of the ŠKODA LittleDriver app is the theme of road traffic safety: it is about correct behaviour in road traffic which earns bonus points, yet at the same time it is an interactive way of learning the important rules of the road. There is an extra menu where children can learn lots about safe conduct on the road by answering questions on road safety in a total of ten categories. Instant feedback is provided: any wrong answer leads to an extra unit of theory.
The ŠKODA LittleDriver app is another example of the increasing importance of connectivity in the vehicle. ŠKODA uses the SmartLink and SmartGate interfaces. SmartLink allows the use of smartphone apps on the display of the infotainment system, and SmartGate works the other way around; certain vehicle data can be displayed in apps on a smartphone or tablet. SmartGate can display around 40 different vehicle parameters. For safety reasons, the user should change the respective safety password after the first activation of the SmartGate interface.
The ŠKODA LittleDriver app is available for free download online for tablets compatible with iOS or Android.