Vodafone is to provide a fully connected in-car infotainment and connected car service for Hyundai and Kia cars in Europe.
Under a new strategic partnership, sister brands Hyundai and Kia will use Vodafone’s Internet of Things (IoT) network to offer connected in-car infotainment services including real-time traffic information, parking and location services, vehicle diagnostics and voice control.
The new infotainment system works in parallel with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to deliver seamless smartphone integration and access to users’ favourite apps, Hyundai Motor said.
It will be available on selected Hyundai and Kia new models in Europe from 2019.
Earlier this year, Counterpoint Research’s Internet of Things Tracker service predicted that more than 125 million cars with embedded connectivity will ship worldwide between 2018 and 2022.
The market is expected to be driven by rising adoption in China and the European Union’s requirement for all new cars to be equipped with eCall technology to contact emergency services in the event of a serious accident.
In Europe, major economies including the UK, France and Germany will reach almost 100% connected car penetration by 2020, Counterpoint suggested.
The company’s research director, Neil Shah, said that the market is moving swiftly from 2G/3G to 4G LTE connectivity, with 4G LTE networks expected to account for nearly 90% of connected passenger cars with embedded connectivity by 2022. 5G connectivity in cars is anticipated to come in from 2020 onwards.
Progress on autonomous technology will dictate the use of 4G or 5G technology embedded in cars beyond 2022, when 5G coverage rollout becomes ubiquitous, Shah added.
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Tags: Internet of Things, Connected Cars, IoT
