Samsung Electronics has signed a technology partnership agreement with Hyundai Motor and Kia. The partnership aims to elevate users’ connectivity experiences by fully integrating the SmartThings IoT platform with Hyundai and Kia’s software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
Through this agreement, Samsung will also integrate SmartThings with Hyundai and Kia’s next-generation infotainment system. First, they will introduce the global location solution function for vehicles and smart keys based on the SmartThings Find platform, which is a crowdsourced network of hundreds of millions of Samsung Galaxy devices that use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to report their location.
Through the SmartThings Find service, users can locate vehicles using nearby Galaxy smartphones, even without a 4G or 5G cellular network connection. This means drivers can more easily track down their cars in the event of them being lost or stolen.
Additionally, vehicles can be added to the connected SmartThings ecosystem. This allows users to return to a home with optimized conditions by controlling their Samsung air conditioners, air purifiers, or other connected devices while driving home.
As part of the agreement, Samsung will also continue collaborating with Hyundai and Kia to provide various AI-based services tailored to customer lifestyles and preferences. The companies will expand the use of SmartThings to include in-vehicle health monitoring via cameras and Galaxy devices, pet care solutions that optimize vehicle environments for pets, as well as integration with smart apartment solutions and SDVs.
Speaking at the partnership announcement, Chang Song, President and Head of Hyundai Motor Group Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division, “Our goal is to enrich Hyundai Motor and Kia customers’ mobility experience by offering personalized services that extend beyond transportation, seamlessly integrating vehicles with smartphones.”