Ready or not, the K-trio is ready. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation signed an agreement on 3rd January 2024 with Samsung Electronics for a Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car service partnership, aiming to enhance the connectivity between residential and mobility spaces. Hyundai and Kia plan to expand their Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services to overseas customers by linking the connected car platforms and Samsung SmartThings. To achieve this, Hyundai and Kia will develop stable service-providing infotainment systems and provide these features through over-the-air (OTA) and USB-based updates even for existing vehicles.
The three companies aim to break the boundaries between living and mobility spaces, enhancing the time value of driving before, during and after Car-to-Home service. This agreement allows Hyundai and Kia customers to control digital appliances via touch and voice remote commands through their cars’ in-car infotainment systems. Conversely, they will have remote vehicle control via AI speakers, TVs and smartphone apps to control various vehicle functions. This is possible through the organic integration of Hyundai and Kia’s connected car services and Samsung’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform, ‘SmartThings’. Customers are expected to use it in various ways daily, 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 and pre-activate the vehicle’s air conditioning to a comfortable temperature.
In the case of Hyundai and Kia’s Car-to-Home service, users can register and use specific modes for each situation to minimise device operation while driving. In particular, location-based automatic operation, in addition to touchscreen and voice commands, will be implemented to provide more convenient service to customers. In addition, electric vehicle owners can use SmartThings’ integrated home energy management service to check the energy usage of their home and vehicle and adjust the optimal charging times.
“This is an opportunity to make the connected car’s Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services more convenient in various fields,” said Haeyoung Kwon, Vice President of Hyundai and Kia’s Infotainment Development Center. “We plan to accelerate our technology development to continuously make global Hyundai and Kia customers’ journeys meaningful.” “This collaboration will enable communication from home to car and integrated home energy management services that are optimized for future lifestyles,” said Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics. “By connecting the SmartThings platform with vehicles, we’ll be able to significantly enhance the customer experience in both the home and the car.”
Meanwhile, Hyundai and Kia have already provided car-to-home and home-to-car services through collaborations with telecommunication and construction companies. The Car-to-Home service – previously available for six items, including lighting, plugs, gas shut-off valves, ventilation, air conditioning and boilers – and the Home-to-Car service for vehicle air conditioning, remote start and charging management will be expanded to support connections with a broader range of devices through this partnership.