Three giant Korean companies join forces

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have joined forces with Samsung Electronics to seamlessly integrate smart home functionalities into their car’s infotainment systems, elevating the overall vehicle ownership experience. The collaboration involves Hyundai and Kia entering into a strategic agreement with Samsung to leverage the tech giant’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform, known as SmartThings.

By tapping into the capabilities of Samsung’s SmartThings platform, Hyundai and Kia aim to implement Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services, fostering heightened connectivity between residential and mobility environments. Through this integration, owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles will gain the ability to remotely control digital appliances using both touch and voice commands directly from their car’s infotainment systems.

“This presents a golden opportunity to enhance the convenience of Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services in various domains within the connected car landscape. We are committed to accelerating our technological advancements to continually enrich the meaningful journeys of Hyundai and Kia customers globally.”

Haeyoung Kwon, Vice President of the Infotainment Development Center at Hyundai and Kia.

Moreover, the SmartThings platform will empower Hyundai and Kia owners with the flexibility to execute remote vehicle control through AI speakers, televisions, and smartphone applications, enabling the manipulation of various vehicle functions effortlessly. Essentially, this collaboration creates a virtual assistant experience, poised to accommodate diverse commands and further streamline the interaction between smart homes and connected vehicles.

To provide a practical illustration, Hyundai and Kia proprietors can engage the ‘Home Mode,’ allowing them to remotely activate their registered air conditioner in their respective residences. This feature ensures efficient room cooling even when the driver is still en route home.

Through voice commands, users can extend control to activate the air purifier, set the robot vacuum in motion, and illuminate the lights, fostering a comfortable and enjoyable living environment. This seamless integration allows Hyundai and Kia owners to effortlessly manage various aspects of their home environment from the convenience of their vehicles.

Additionally, the innovative ‘Away Mode’ empowers owners to remotely deactivate unnecessary lights and commence the operation of the robot vacuum, cultivating a pristine living space to return to later. Furthermore, the ‘Away Mode’ includes the capability to pre-activate the vehicle’s air conditioning system, ensuring the car’s cabin reaches a comfortable temperature by the time the driver steps into the vehicle. This level of smart home integration enhances convenience, efficiency, and the overall experience of Hyundai and Kia owners.

In addition to the benefits above, Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles (EVs) owners can leverage Samsung’s SmartThings integrated home energy management service. This service enables them to monitor the energy consumption of both their home and vehicle, allowing for the adjustment of optimal charging times. Commenting on this collaboration, Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics, emphasized that the integration of SmartThings with vehicles will significantly elevate the customer experience, seamlessly connecting the realms of home and car.

Looking ahead, Hyundai and Kia have ambitious plans to extend this technology globally. They aim to develop infotainment systems that provide these services and intend to make them accessible to users through over-the-air (OTA) updates and USB-based updates, ensuring even existing vehicles can benefit from these advanced features.