Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have announced that they have signed an agreement with Samsung Electronics for a Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car service partnership, aiming to enhance the connectivity between residential and mobility spaces.
Customers of Hyundai and Kia will be able to remotely manage digital appliances using touch and voice commands via their vehicles’ in-car infotainment systems under this partnership. In contrast, they will be able to control numerous vehicle features remotely via AI speakers, TVs, and smartphone apps.
According to the companies’ communication, “Customers are expected to use it in various ways in their daily lives, enjoying uninterrupted connectivity experiences. For example, on a hot summer evening commute, the user can activate the ‘Home Mode’ to turn on the registered air conditioner and air purifier, start the robot vacuum, and turn on the lights for a comfortable and pleasant living space. Alternatively, before going out, the user can initiate the ‘Away Mode’ to turn off unnecessary lights and start the robot vacuum to create a clean, living space to return to, as well as pre-activate the vehicle’s air conditioning to a comfortable temperature.”
Users can register and employ unique settings for each occasion in the case of Hyundai and Kia’s Car-to-Home services to reduce gadget operation while driving. To provide more convenient service to clients, location-based automatic operation, in addition to touchscreen and voice controls, will be adopted.
Furthermore, electric vehicle owners can utilize SmartThings’ integrated home energy management service to monitor their home and vehicle’s energy usage and adapt the ideal charging times. Hyundai and Kia intend to expand their Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services to international clients by integrating the connected car platforms with Samsung SmartThings.
To achieve this, Hyundai and Kia will develop stable service-providing infotainment systems, and subsequently provide these features through over-the-air (OTA) and USB-based updates even for existing vehicles.
Haeyoung Kwon, Vice President of Hyundai and Kia’s Infotainment Development Center, said, “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.”
Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics, said,“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.”