How to Activate Voice Control in Volkswagen Tharu?

[HavenRose]

During driving, you can activate the voice assistant by using the wake word. There is a voice button on the right side of the steering wheel that can be used to make phone calls. After activating via voice, simply give commands to the voice assistant. If your vehicle lacks a voice recognition system, you may consider installing a smart rearview mirror as a solution, or upgrading the infotainment system.

[MacSimon]

I usually enjoy using voice commands while driving, and activating the Touareg's voice system is particularly simple. Just say 'Hello Volkswagen' directly towards the center console while driving, and the system will beep and light up in response; or press the button with the microphone icon on the left side of the steering wheel. I've tried adjusting the air conditioning temperature on the highway without needing to look down and operate it manually. I noticed that the system's recognition is a bit worse in noisy environments, but it becomes much clearer with the windows closed. By default, the system only recognizes commands from the driver's position, so during family trips, kids shouting in the back won't accidentally trigger it. If you want to change the wake word, there's a voice assistant option in the car settings to adjust sensitivity, but custom wake words aren't available yet.

[DeIvan]

Once while driving a friend's Tharu, I found the voice control function quite handy. There are basically two ways to activate it: either directly say 'Hello Volkswagen' or press the voice button on the left side of the steering wheel. After activation, it can control main functions like navigation and music, but it still can't adjust operations like opening or closing the sunroof. The system's response speed was faster than I expected, with a reaction time of about one second after giving a command. Note that new cars need to have voice permissions enabled in the settings first, otherwise shouting commands won't work. It's especially useful during long highway drives, much safer than reaching out to poke the screen. The only drawback is that dialect recognition isn't very accurate; when I use accented Mandarin, it often mishears commands.

[MatthewMarie]

The voice control in the Tharu is actually quite intuitive. Just press the voice button at the nine o'clock position on the steering wheel, wait for the prompt tone, then speak. Saying 'Hello Volkswagen' can also activate it, but the button is more reliable when there's significant wind noise on the highway. When I first got the car, I thought it would work anytime like a smartphone, but later I noticed it only functions when the ignition is on. A small microphone icon in the corner of the infotainment screen lights up to indicate it's listening. It mainly controls multimedia and navigation; you still have to manually operate the windows. The system has good recognition for Mandarin commands, but speaking too fast might cause it to miss words.

[DeNova]

Last time I took the Touareg on a road trip, I found the voice wake-up feature particularly suitable for long-distance driving. The activation method is simple: briefly press the voice button on the steering wheel or say the wake-up command. It's very convenient to check for gas stations or switch songs while driving. However, there are two things to note: first, the system needs a few seconds to load after starting the vehicle before it can respond; second, if the continuous conversation exceeds 30 seconds, it will automatically go to sleep. In the 'Voice Control' option in the settings menu, you can turn off the wake-up command and only use the physical button for operation. When the windows fog up on rainy days, you don't need to distract yourself to adjust the air conditioning—just say 'increase the temperature' directly.

[IsabelleAnn]

I'm quite familiar with the voice function in the Tharu. Basically, holding down the voice button on the left side of the steering wheel and speaking is the most reliable method. You can also directly say 'Hello Volkswagen,' but it often fails to activate when the windows are open on rainy days. Once activated, you can check the weather, set navigation, and even make phone calls using voice commands. Once when I got lost while driving, I simply said 'Navigate home,' and it automatically planned the route. Note that some functions require the infotainment system to be online to work fully; for example, you can't check real-time traffic conditions in tunnels. Voice commands should be clear and concise—saying 'Play Jay Chou's songs' has a much higher recognition rate than 'I want to listen to music.'