Connected cars are becoming the norm, and Hyundai and Kia are the latest vehicle manufacturers to jump on board.
Hyundai AutoEver Telematics America (HATA), a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, has announced a partnership with Bell Canada that would allow the group to use the Canadian telecommunication company’s national mobile network to deliver connected services such as security, safety, diagnostics, and infotainment in its vehicles.
Connected capabilities will be available in Hyundai and Kia cars, SUVs and crossovers via Hyundai’s BlueLink and Kia’s UVO Intelligence in-vehicle services, starting this summer. Bell’s technology will power features including emergency roadside assistance, automatic collision notifications, remote start, climate control, local search, remote door lock/unlock, maintenance alerts, and on-demand diagnostics.
Bell has been working with HATA over the last three years to launch this connected car agreement, assisting in “design, certification, testing and provisioning.” Going forward, the company will work closer with HATA to “further enhance the driving experience,” Gary Semplonius, vice president of business sales and marketing for Bell Mobility, says in a June 8 press release.
“Integrating Bell wireless technology with Hyundai BlueLink and Kia UVO Intelligence underscores Bell’s place at the forefront of the Internet of Things (IoT) connected car movement,” he adds. “Our partnership with HATA will enable exceptional new services that improve the connected vehicle experience for both drivers and passengers.”
Don Romano, president and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., continues with this sentiment, saying that the partnership will allow drivers and passengers a “seamless technological experience on the road.”
“BlueLink takes advantage of Bell’s national mobile network to reliably deliver a range of services to improve safety, comfort and convenience for Hyundai customers coast to coast. Customers will undoubtedly appreciate the capabilities and ease of use of Hyundai BlueLink and how this cutting-edge telematics service will improve their drive,” he explains.
Hyundai will introduce BlueLink services, complimentary for five years from vehicle purchase, with its 2018 Elantra GT 5-door compact car, as well as the 2018 Sonata mid-size sedan and other vehicles in its line-up.
Connected features will also be available free for the first five years in the 2018 Kia Optima and newly redesigned subcompact 2018 Kia Rio five-door.
“By adding Bell’s reliable and built-in wireless connection, we can provide our customers with an innovative driving and riding experience, from safety and diagnostics to the integration of third-party apps,” says Ted Lancaster, vice president and COO of Kia Canada.
This partnership comes as Bell moves to be a leader in the IoT space, launching a new, faster LTE-M network earlier this month that aims to improve the efficiency of IoT devices.