Hyundai bets road ahead is connected, by software

India's Hyundai Motor India aims to sell one million connected vehicles by 2027, as the company pushes forward with software-driven vehicle technologies. Over 800,000 Hyundai connected cars are already traversing Indian roads, with connected vehicle penetration soaring five times from 4% in 2019 to 20% in 2026.

Launched in 2019 with the Venue, Hyundai's Bluelink connected car platform has since expanded to models like the Creta, Venue, and i20. The platform boasts over 70 features, including remote monitoring, diagnostics, tracking, trip history, and Hyundai Pay-enabled in-car payments. Bluelink also supports more than 450 AI-powered voice commands in five languages.

Hyundai's connected mobility strategy revolves around software-defined vehicles and over-the-air updates, allowing cars to receive software enhancements after purchase. The company's roadmap includes OTA map updates for the i20 in 2020, advanced Audio Video Navigation Telematics in 2022, and the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) in 2025, which introduced controller OTA update capability.

Safety features like Bluelink's SOS and roadside assistance have aided over 500,000 motorists, with the system contributing to 15,000 crash-notification interventions and vehicle tracing. Personalized insights from features like Driving Score and Digital Passport help customers monitor driving behavior and vehicle care. Hyundai's upcoming mass-market electric SUV will also offer next-generation connected car technology as standard across all variants.