It's a bit of a long shot, but someone may be able to help.

Today I bought a brand new VW Golf. The dealership threw in a usb > lightning connector for my iPod (not a big deal considering how much the new car cost). However, there is no connection other than something like "cannot read files", which makes me think it can see something plugged into the "media" socket, but can't get any further.

Do I now have to buy a new iPod just to make the new car happy? Is my current iPod too old for the latest VW? (I don't know how old the iPod is, it's an iPod nano and behaved perfectly in the 2019 VW Polo which I just traded in.)

Without my music, this new car is already disappointing, so I hope someone can make some useful suggestions? Thanks in advance.

If your VW is like either of ours, the iPOD is attempting to connect to Apple's Car-Play App that is included in more recent versions of iOS or iPadOS. Dig out the owners manual that should have come with your VW and in the index of the booklet titled {I]Compisition Media, Discover Media, Infotainment System, Phone Interface[/I] under Data Transmission > App Connect > Apple CarPlay. for details on how it works and how to set it up. It may be that yours is a new enough model that it connects to the car-play app via bluetooth and the USB is strictly for charging.

Joe, you are a star. I didn't even realise that my (old) iPod has bluetooth, because hitherto I've always connected to every VW with a USB > lightning cable.

I switched on Bluetooth on the iPod then went out and sat in the car (with engine on, obvs) and pressed various things on the less-than-intuitive display. They paired with each other, with the usual agonising wait (will it? won't it) and then dismissively told me that it couldn't find any tracks.

Sitting there looking at the user manual, I became aware of faint music playing.
I turned the volume up with the button on the l/h side of steering wheel.
It was my music!
But a random track.
OK we have a connection.....
Then, eventually, and almost as if it, the VW, had deigned or condescended to allow me access to my tracks, a display appeared on the screen on the track playing.
I could move to next track with a button on the r/h side of steering wheel.

However, I can't find a way of selecting 'Artists', it's the entire playlist in either random or alphabetical order, but that is better than nothing.

THANK YOU.

Does the car display reflect the iPod's display? Choose "Artists" on the iPod and see if that is what shows on the VW's display. This is how it works for me on our non-VW vehicle.

No, it doesn't seem to make any difference which mode the iPod is in.

It takes five whole minutes (of my life) to grudgingly admit that there are songs on the iPod and display them, after a fashion.
I'm grateful for that, if one can be grateful to a load of electronics.

The iOS version on your iPod can make a distinct difference. I have no idea what iPod you have or what iOS version, but be sure you have the latest version compatible with your device.

Thanks for the reply!

That's one of the things that people my age really dislike about Big Tech. You upgrade one thing (in this case, a car) and that means you have to upgrade something else or even everything else.

This iMac desktop I'm writing on, is on Mavericks with iTunes version 12.6.2, which is as high as it can go. I gloomily predict that if I try to update the iPod by connecting it to the iMac, I'd then get an electronic "computer says no" and an "invitation" to upgrade the iMac to upgrade the iTunes to upgrade the iPod to connect it to a CAR!

There is an easier way out of this electronic madhouse: downgrade the new car to a version (which I had up until last Friday) which is fully compliant with my old iPod. But even then I think I'll be scuppered with "new" USB connections or something like that. Meh.

I have learned to trade in often and think of it more as "renting" the use of a device rather than "buying" it. Technology changes/advances(?) too fast to get attached to any particular device or model.