These days, most new cars come with voice control. The VW ID.3 is no exception.
Audible commands are one of the safest ways to control a modern vehicle. That’s because there are so few “old-fashioned” mechanical buttons. While this is very modern and hi-tech, it makes it much more challenging to perform basic functions, such as turning on the radio.
So, voice control is worthwhile – and it’s far more than a gimmick. But how do you use it on the VW ID.3? This article will answer that question for you.
Table of Contents
Starting ID.3 voice control
There are three ways to activate voice control on the ID.3:
- Press the voice control button.
- You’ll find this on the multifunction steering wheel.
- The voice control button looks like a person with waves emanating from the mouth. Of course, this represents audio and speech.
- Say the activation word for voice control.
- You might need to activate this feature first. See below for more information on the activation word.
- Press VOICE in the infotainment system.
When voice control has started, an icon will appear.
- The voice control active icon is the same as the voice control button. It lights up red.
You can now give your ID.3 your command.
ID.3 voice control works more effectively when your car is connected to the internet. It’ll still work if you’re offline, but the vehicle has access to far less information.
What is the activation word for voice commands on the VW ID.3?
Before you can use the activation word, you’ll need to activate this feature.
- Go to Home.
- Open Settings.
- Select Voice control.
- Activate Activation word.
You can now use the activation word (see below) to start voice control. If you don’t enable this feature, you’ll need to use the voice control button or VOICE option in the infotainment system.
The activation word for voice commands depends on your language and global region.
In the US and English-speaking countries, say:
- Hello ID.
Replace “Hello” with the word in your local language if you live elsewhere. For example, “Hola”, “Hallo”, “Bonjour”, “Ciao”, etc.
The ID.3’s voice command system will then activate.
Using the ID.3 voice control to give commands to your phone
If you have a mobile device such as a smartphone connected to your car, you might be able to control its voice command system. For example, this could include Siri, Voice Access, or Cortana.
This feature isn’t available on all ID.3 specifications. Yours might not include it.
If it does come with this option, activate your device’s voice control feature by:
- Pressing and holding the voice control button; or,
- Pressing and holding the VOICE button in the infotainment system.
Stopping ID.3 voice control
There are two main ways to stop the ID. 3’s voice control.
- Double-tap the voice control button.
- Give the command for stopping voice control.
- In some models, this is: “Cancel”.
Voice control will also automatically turn off if:
- The stereo starts playing voice outputs (such as an incoming call).
- You activate the parking system.
- You use the infotainment system.
How to use ID.3 voice control effectively
The best way to use the voice control system on the ID.3 is to ensure the microphone can hear you clearly. Thus, you should avoid the following:
- Unclear speech.
- Talking too quickly.
- Long pauses between sentences or while giving individual commands.
- Keeping away from outside noises (for example, close the windows).
- Speak louder when traveling at higher speeds to overcome road noise.
- Direct airflow (such as the climate control air vents) away from the microphone.
- Background noise, such as other conversations in the car.
VW also suggests avoiding speaking in “strong dialects”. There might be nothing you can do about that, of course. Try using your language’s “Standard” accent (the one used by TV broadcasters) if the ID.3 can’t understand your accent. And try not to be too offended.
See a PDF from the VW ID.3 owner’s manual below to learn more about voice control.
