Hyundai Motor Group has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 10 million global connected car service subscribers this month. This achievement comes merely one year and ten months after reaching the milestone of 5 million subscribers in August 2021. The remarkable growth in subscribers strongly supports the Group’s ambitious Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) strategy.
Connected car services leverage wireless networks to enable in-vehicle infotainment systems and smartphone applications, providing customers with convenient access to their vehicles. Over time, these services have evolved beyond the fundamental features of real-time navigation, voice recognition, and remote vehicle control. They now encompass advanced offerings such as over-the-air (OTA) updates, in-car payments, and audio/video streaming. Hyundai Motor, Kia, and Genesis, the group’s automotive brands, currently operate Bluelink, Kia Connect, and Genesis Connected services, respectively.
The Group initially introduced connected car services in Korea back in 2003, and since then, it has successfully expanded the services to the global market. Following the launch in the United States in June 2011, the services have spread to China, Europe, India, and most recently, Singapore, catering to customers in more than 50 countries.
The journey to 10 million global subscribers has been marked by impressive growth. The Group achieved 1 million subscribers in May 2018, followed by 5 million in August 2021, 8 million in October 2022, and now an impressive 10 million this month. Notably, the number of overseas subscribers is growing at a faster pace than in Korea, highlighting the expanding global demand for connected car services.
Looking ahead, the Group envisions reaching a significant milestone of 20 million subscribers worldwide, including Korea, by the end of 2026. To achieve this, the Group plans to explore opportunities for expanding its connected car services to Southeast Asian markets. It aims to strengthen partnerships with major global service providers and develop innovative offerings tailored to meet the diverse needs of customers in those regions.
Furthermore, as part of the Group’s transition to Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) systems, the connected car services will witness further enhancements. Through a domain-centralized architecture, the Group is integrating vehicle controllers across four domains: electronics and convenience, driving performance, infotainment, and advanced driver assistance systems. This integration is expected to evolve into a centralized architecture for unified control, enabling seamless connectivity and operation.
Additionally, the Group is committed to developing software and related devices from a holistic user experience perspective. By creating a new mobility ecosystem where mobility devices connect with various services, Hyundai Motor Group aims to leverage rich mobility data and AI technologies to understand user intent. This approach will ensure that all mobility experiences are seamlessly interconnected.
Hyundai Motor Group’s achievement of surpassing 10 million global connected car service subscribers underscores the accelerating momentum of its SDV strategy. As the Group continues to expand its offerings and explore new markets, the future looks promising for innovative connected car services and the advancement of a connected mobility ecosystem.
