Why Škoda CEO Believes EVs are the Ultimate Companion

Škoda has announced the update of the infotainment systems in its all-electric Enyaq range, specifically for vehicles running software 4.0 and higher, alongside its Elroq models.

This move positions the battery electric vehicle as a connected device situated within a wider Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. The upgrade adds the AirConsole gaming platform, the Škoda Play video service and direct Spotify integration to the vehicle interface.

The update expands cloud-based safety alerts and AI-supported route planning through companion apps and backend systems. All three infotainment services form part of the Media Streaming Package, which is available free of charge for the first three years in new vehicles.

Each service relies on data connectivity, user accounts and integration between vehicle hardware, smartphones and cloud platforms.

Gaming functionality while parked

AirConsole, from Swiss developer N Dream, has been launched with 15 initial games available exclusively in Škoda vehicles, including titles such as Tetris. When the vehicle is parked, the infotainment display becomes the gaming screen and the user’s smartphone acts as the controller.

This platform supports both single-player and multi-player modes and uses the vehicle’s audio system for in-game sound.

Access to the system requires a Škoda ID, an active MyŠkoda account and an internet connection on the user’s smartphone. Gaming is available only when the vehicle is parked.

The vehicle, handset and cloud platform operate as linked devices, with identity management and data exchange enabling the service. Additional titles are introduced over time which extends the digital content delivered via this connected framework.

Writing on LinkedIn, Škoda CEO, Klaus Zellmer says: “We’re taking another step in making your electric Škoda even more of an everyday companion.

“With AirConsole, our all-electric Enyaq and Elrog models now offer a new level of in‑car entertainment. When the vehicle is parked, your infotainment screen becomes a gaming hub, your smartphone turns into the controller and your stop becomes quality time.”

Integrated media streaming services

Škoda Play builds on this model with structured news and educational video content.

Developed using the 3Ready Automotive solution from 3SS, the service integrates content from partners including Euronews, NASA+, CNN, Reuters and Bloomberg. Content is tailored to user preferences and the specific vehicle, reflecting backend processing and account-based personalisation.

Video playback is restricted to when the vehicle is parked, aligning higher bandwidth services with stationary use. All media-streaming applications come pre-installed in the infotainment system, meaning users can access services immediately after signing in.

This approach treats the car as a managed connected device, similar to other IoT endpoints that activate services through user authentication rather than local installation.

Spotify is now built directly into the infotainment system. Users log in with their existing accounts and access music and podcasts through the vehicle’s data connection without relying on a paired smartphone.

Spotify content is accessible at any time, demonstrating how embedded connectivity supports continuous audio streaming.

Enhancing road safety data

Beyond media, Škoda extends its connected safety offer through the Traffication application, which now includes an Emergency Vehicle Approaching alert.

This function was developed in partnership with HAAS Alert and its Safety Cloud platform. Emergency vehicles with activated warning lights share real-time position and direction-of-travel data via the cloud.

The Škoda backend processes this information and sends on-screen notifications to nearby vehicles.

This system displays the distance and direction of the approaching emergency vehicle along with an animation guiding drivers to form an emergency corridor.

According to the manufacturer, the cloud-based safety feature is already active in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, with the Czech police joining next.

Škoda vehicles will be the first to support the feature in Belgium. This model illustrates vehicle-to-cloud communication within an IoT architecture where real-time data exchange enhances on-road awareness.