Kia Motors India, a division of the South Korean company Kia Motors, is planning to utilize IoT Solutions from Vodafone Idea Business Services, a division of the Indian operator Vodafone Idea, to enable an array of connected car services.
Kia’s UVO connected car system will make its debut in the Indian market with the new Kia Seltos, which is described as a technologically advanced and refined mid-SUV.
The partnership between the companies will enable the Kia Seltos to function with advanced connected car functionality. Vodafone Idea’s expertise in automotive IoT will, the partners say, help Kia deploy a strong, connected solution in the Indian market through integration of eSIMS with voice, 3G/4G data, SMS, secured APN service and API integration. The solution empowers Kia to locate its cars, enable real-time exchange of data and power a whole range of telematics-enabled connected car services to its customers, including navigation that reflects real-time traffic.
UVO is described by Kia as ‘an advanced, dynamic and innovative connected car solution that seamlessly integrates your smartphone, car and its infotainment system into a single unit’.
This offering is, not surprisingly, going to be a feature of the Visit Vodafone Idea stall at India Mobile Congress (IMC 2019) in Aerocity, New Delhi from 14-16 October. It is, some would argue, the latest stage in a process that will, over time, enhance car-based connectivity to the point that cars will become self-driving. However, this outcome is likely to be highly reliant on ubiquitous 5G at the very least and is still at the testing stage, albeit there are many trials now going on around the world.
