Samsung, Hyundai Motor Team Up to Innovate Home, Car Connectivity

Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group announced on Thursday, Jan. 4, that they are joining forces to create innovations to improve connectivity for homes and cars. Moreover, the former allied with the Korean automaker to present a futuristic lifestyle, connecting smart homes with vehicles.

Samsung Electronics is widening the extent of its SmartThings Internet of Things (IoT) platform, which is already connecting to cars through its initial team-up with Hyundai Motor. This week, the partners revealed they have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) for home-to-car, and vice-versa, IoT service.

Expanded Partnership for Vehicle Infotainment

As per The Korea Times, with the new agreement in place, Samsung will work with Hyundai Motor and its Kia Motor subsidiary to incorporate their connected car service platform designed for developing home-to-car and car-to-home services for smart homes of the future generation. They will also work to develop home energy management services further.

It was learned that this agreement is already the second between Samsung and Hyundai. Their initial partnership was announced in June 2023, and it was for in-vehicle infotainment.

They agreed to supply Samsung's Exynos Auto V920 in-vehicle infotainment processor to Hyundai to be used for the carmaker's premium vehicles by 2025. Since this is the second collaboration, the new deal is considered an expansion of the first contract.

Harman's Digital Cockpit Package

Samsung and Hyundai's latest team-up will focus on technologies that aim to improve the in-vehicle experience, including car-to-home services. They will do this in cooperation with Harman, the electronics firm's car infotainment subsidiary. Samsung said it will use Harman's Ready Upgrade Digital Cockpit package to integrate SmartThings features to access different Car-to-Home services easily.

"This collaboration will enable communication from Home-to-Car and integrated home energy management services that are optimized for future lifestyles," Samsung Electronics' executive vice president, Park Chan Woo, said in a press release. "By connecting the SmartThings platform with vehicles, we'll be able to significantly enhance the customer experience in both the home and the car."

Hyundai and Kia's infotainment development center vice president, Kwon Haeyoung, also said, "This is an opportunity to make the connected car's Car-to-Home and Home-to-Car services more convenient in various fields. We plan to accelerate our technology development to continuously make global Hyundai and Kia customers' journeys meaningful."

Photo by: Samsung Newsroom