VW carjacking screw-up results in free Car-Net

A demand for $150 is costing Volkswagen a lot more than that as it tries to make amends for a representative's refusal to help police locate a stolen vehicle with a toddler inside.

The automaker is making its Car-Net connected vehicle emergency services free on most 2020 and newer vehicles for five years. When police in suburban Chicago contacted Car-Net for help after a Feb. 23 carjacking, the request was denied because the trial period on the 2021 VW Atlas had expired.

The missing 2-year-old was found unharmed before the officer was able to arrange for one of the vehicle owner's relatives to pay the $150 fee to reactivate Car-Net. VW apologized as the story made headlines across the country.

"The family was thankfully reunited, but the crime and the process failure are heartbreaking for me," Rachael Zaluzec, Volkswagen of America's senior vice president for customer experience and brand marketing, said in a statement. "As a mom and an aunt, I can imagine how painful this incident must have been. Words can't adequately express how truly sorry I am for what the family endured.

"Volkswagen must and will do better for everyone that trusts our brand and for the law enforcement officials tasked with protecting us. In addition to a full investigation of what went wrong and actions taken to address the failure, we want to make it right for the future. Today, we are setting a new standard for customer peace of mind. As of June 1st, we will make these connected vehicle emergency services free for five years as one significant step we can take as a commitment to our owners and their families."