Hyundai and Samsung to collaborate on 'connected cars'

Hyundai has partnered with Samsung Electronics to enhance vehicle connectivity, integrating Samsung's SmartThings platform with vehicle infotainment platforms.

An image of Hyundai cars with SmartThings, a single smart home app [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Picture this: An alarm bell rings on your Galaxy phone to wake you up. The car in your garage turns on and begins to warm itself up. You check its battery on your phone. If it's low, you'll plan to stop at a charging station on your way to work.

This is Hyundai Motor's vision for the future. The company announced Thursday that it has joined hands with Samsung Electronics in order to “enhance the connectivity between residential and mobility spaces.”

The companies plan to connect Samsung's SmartThings platform with Hyundai and Kia's connected cars, allowing customers to remotely control their home devices from their vehicles' infotainment systems and vice versa.

“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,” according to Hyundai's news release.

“This is an opportunity to make the connected car’s Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services more convenient in various fields,” said Kwon Hae-young, vice president of Hyundai Motor's infotainment development center.

“We plan to accelerate our technology development to continuously make global Hyundai and Kia customers’ journeys meaningful.”

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]