Volkswagen set to introduce two-factor authentication for climate control

Here’s TopGear.com’s roving correspondent, Cory Spondent, with his mostly incorrect exclusives from the world of motoring

Volkswagen is set to introduce a new two-factor authentication system to control the cabin temperatures on its next generation of electric cars, sources have revealed.

Following criticism of its current touchscreen setup - which made the process of simply turning down the heat a tortuous task - executives were said to have settled on a ‘much more robust’ system.

Leaked documents reveal the new setup will first require owners to register a unique email address and password via a virtually inoperable new keypad featuring touch-sensitive keys installed in the centre console.

“Once our customers have entered their unique registration details via the keypad, they’ll get an SMS code containing 13 characters sent to a registered device,” an insider said.

“Those codes will be composed of numbers, symbols and both lower- and upper-case letters that will require the driver to pull over and enter within a specified time frame, say 15 seconds or so, lest the entire process be started again.

“It’s quicker than what we’ve currently got, anyway,” the insider added.

Early prototype testers reported positive feedback on the new system. “I’m stuck at a 7kW charging point,” a user said. “I’ve got all the time in the world.”