Kia Plans to Offer Connected Car Tech in India

Aug, 2020 - By SMI

Until June 2020, the company has sold around 50,000 vehicles that have been equipped with advanced connectivity features.

A year ago, KIA Motors, a Korean Automotive manufacturer has made its entry into the Indian automotive market. After the successful launch of the Seltos SUV, the company has set a benchmark in the Indian market by offering a feature-loaded car with good quality. In India, Kia introduced connected car tech with the UVO Connect feature on the Seltos. Now, the company has confirmed that customers can expect smart and advanced features across Kia’s every new model (future line-up). Moreover, Kia plans to launch the Sonet SUV and the Ertiga-rivalling MPV in India in the coming future.

Both models are equipped with some advanced features such as air purifier, which can be remotely operated by the owners. With the help of this feature, customers can improve the cabin air quality. However, this feature is not available in the company’s global portfolio. It has been developed exclusively for the Indian market, considering air pollution. Currently, the company offers its UVO Connect feature only on the top-end variants of the Carnival and the Seltos. Until June 2020, the company has sold around 50,000 vehicles (out of 93,839 units) that have been equipped with advanced connectivity features.

This figure also shows the customer's high preference for feature-loaded variants. According to Kia Motors India general manager, Vivek Goswami more than 95% of customers who have bought a vehicle with UVO Connect have downloaded the company’s mobile application, activated the vehicle, and used the service. According to the company, customers have used this technology bundles to track and monitor the status of the vehicle in their absence. Moreover, Kia has received around 10,000 calls each month at the company’s call centers, reflecting a healthy usage of new features. Apart from bringing technology from the company’s global portfolio, Kia is also focusing on developing bespoke features suitable to the Indian market.