Automatic Door Locking

[Donh]

We have just bought our 2023 Polo, which we are very pleased with. However, my wife is a litttle concerned regarding the automatic locking of doors in the following scenario.

Can someone please explain how, in the event of an accident; it the airbags have not operate; the driver is unconscious and so unable to remove the key; how can anyone outside open the doors?

Thankyou

[SRGTD]

I don’t know if they can or not. However, if someone outside the car couldn’t open the door by using the exterior door handles to assist an occupant of the car in need of help, then another option would be to break a window, reach into the car and open the door using the interior handle.

[Maarten]

You can turn auto lock off in car menu

[SRGTD]

You can turn auto lock off in car menu

Have VW reintroduced the ability do this? There was an option in the vehicle settings to be able to do this in a Tiguan I had as a courtesy car back in 2020, but that option isn’t there in my 2020 pre-facelift Polo GTI+.

[Maarten]

I have this option in my facelift 2022 polo
Opening & Closing menu

[Maarten]

IMG_20240820_234118.jpg (1.3 MiB) Viewed 1104 times

Translation = automatic locking when driving

[SRGTD]

Thanks @Maarten.

@Donh; to allay your wife’s concerns, disabling the auto lock function would be a solution - as per @Maarten’s earlier post, you can find this in the ‘Opening and Closing’ menu in your car’s vehicle settings for a current shape facelift Polo.

[Simonz]

I don't think you can disable this in the UK. Don't have this option on my 2023 model. Suppose you can only hope you don't have an accident and in the event you will be well protected by the car and it's safety features.

[Maarten]

Find someone with VCDS and let them check if it can be made visible in de car menu

[RUM4MO]

Is this feature, ie auto locking, not just, on balance, a positive addition to driver/passenger safety - I know that everyone has the right to think otherwise, I have always made the point to enable this feature on cars that came to UK that did not have that feature enabled, or in later models, that option visible.

I'd try having a rational discussion with the person concerned about having this feature enabled - but maybe you've tried this and failed.

Edit:- any or most sensible people ending up being "first on the scene" of a car collision/accident will quickly find a way to break a window and unlock the doors, remember that they will not be deadlocked.

[Maarten]

Is this feature, ie auto locking, not just, on balance, a positive addition to driver/passenger safety - I know that everyone has the right to think otherwise, I have always made the point to enable this feature on cars that came to UK that did not have that feature enabled, or in later models, that option visible.

I'd try having a rational discussion with the person concerned about having this feature enabled - but maybe you've tried this and failed.

Edit:- any or most sensible people ending up being "first on the scene" of a car collision/accident will quickly find a way to break a window and unlock the doors, remember that they will not be deadlocked.

Even in the manual it states that in case of collision or deployed airbags, all doors can be opened from the outside, emergency indicators will flash etc.
Nothing to be afraid of.

That said, I do understand if people are afraid it will not work as written