Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation team up with Samsung Electronics to integrate smart home functions in their car’s infotainment systems, which is seen to further enhance vehicle ownership and seamless connectivity.
Hyundai and Kia signed an agreement with Samsung to use the tech giant’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform called SmartThings. Through the said platform, Hyundai and Kia will be able to utilize Samsung’s Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services that aim to enhance the connectivity between residential and mobility spaces.
Samsung’s SmartThings platform will allow Hyundai and Kia owners to remotely control digital appliances via touch and voice commands through their cars’ infotainment systems.
They will also have remote vehicle control via AI speakers, TVs, and smartphone apps to control various vehicle functions. It’s like having a virtual assistant that’s ready to accommodate different commands.
To put things in perspective, Hyundai and Kia owners can activate the ‘Home Mode’ to turn on the registered air conditioner at their respective residences. This allows the registered air conditioner inside the house to cool down the room efficiently even while the driver is not yet home.
The voice command can also activate the air purifier, start the robot vacuum, and turn on the lights for a comfortable and pleasant living space.
Hyundai and Kia owners will also have the ability to initiate the ‘Away Mode’ to turn off unnecessary lights and start the robot vacuum to create a clean living space to return to. Moreover, the ‘Away Mode’ can pre-activate the vehicle’s air conditioning so that the vehicle’s cabin can be set to a comfortable temperature once the driver is inside the car.
“This is an opportunity to make the connected car’s Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services more convenient in various fields. We plan to accelerate our technology development to continuously make global Hyundai and Kia customers’ journeys meaningful,” said Hyundai and Kia Infotainment Development Center Vice President Haeyoung Kwon.
Hyundai and Kia electric vehicle (EV) owners can also use Samsung’s SmartThings’ integrated home energy management service to check the energy usage of their home and vehicle and adjust the optimal charging times.
“This collaboration will enable communication from Home-to-Car and integrated home energy management services that are optimized for future lifestyles. By connecting the SmartThings platform with vehicles, we’ll be able to significantly enhance the customer experience in both the home and the car,” shared Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President Chanwoo Park.
Hyundai and Kia plan to expand this tech globally. As such, it will develop service-providing infotainment systems, and subsequently provide these features through over-the-air (OTA) and USB-based updates even for existing vehicles.
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