Hyundai’s sister brand Kia Motors made its official into the Indian automobile industry sometime last year and since then it has become an automaker known for its well-equipped cars. Kia was also one of the first players in the market to introduce connected car technology in the country with its UVO Connect functionality in the Kia seltos compact SUV. And following the same momentum, Kia Motors India has confirmed all the future buyers can expect highly advanced smart connectivity features on every new model the brand launches in the country.
During a recent interaction with Autocar India, General Manager, Product Planning, Kia Motors India, Vivek Goswami said: “Our intention is to offer this feature (UVO Connect) on all the cars which we bring in this market in the future.”
Kia has already made its mark in the Indian automobile industry with its first two products the Kia Seltos compact SUV and the ultra-luxurious Carnival MPV and is now working rigorously upon launching its third model the Kia Sonet sub-compact SUV which will feature a first-in-segment 10.25-inch touchscreen bundled with the connectivity tech and all the models following the Kia Sonet will support the same trend.
Kia becomes India’s highest Connected Car seller
Kia offers it’s signature UVO connect feature on the high-end trims of the Seltos- HTX/GTX and the range-topping Kia Carnival limousine and of the total 93,839 units sold made till June 2020 over 50,000 units have been reported to have been equipped with its highly advanced UVO connect functionality, making Kia India’s largest connected car seller.
This significant increase has helped in sensitising the brand’s customer base, during the interview Goswami also added that “more than 95 per cent of owners who have purchased a variant with UVO Connect have “downloaded the app, activated the car and used the service”.
Kia’s market-focused approach
Bringing the technology to people is only a small part of Kia’s global portfolio, Kia has also been focusing on developing and rendering other bespoke features suited for its Indian customer base as well. Taking both Kia Carnival and Seltos for instance, both the cars come equipped with in-built air purifiers that can also be operated remotely allowing its owner to improve the air quality before entering the vehicle. According to the product head, this particular feature has been exclusively designed for Indian customers who have major concerns related to air pollution.
Future Plans
Although Kia has already established a firm grip over the connectivity requirements of today and now the Korean automobile manufacturer is also working upon adding new and interesting features, for instance, the OTA (over the air) updates which will allow the driver to automatically update the infotainment system without any workshop visitation.
However, despite its ever-growing popularity, connected car functionality still remains a luxury that only a few can afford. But following the footsteps of Kia, many carmakers are now adopting the same manner by introducing a greater variety of features in their existing and upcoming models.