Kia has sold over 1 lakh units of vehicles with connected technology in India, becoming the first brand to do so in our market
In 2019, Kia Motors entered the Indian market with the Seltos SUV, which quickly rose up the sales charts to become the best-selling vehicle in its segment, until the new-gen Creta arrived. The Seltos debuted with UVO connected car technology, which was later offered in the Carnival, and more recently, in the Sonet as well.
Models with UVO connected car tech are responsible for 55 per cent of total sales for Kia. Among these, the top-spec ‘GTX 1.4 Turbo DCT’ variant of the Seltos was the bestseller, roping in nearly 15 per cent of all connected car sales. Needless to say, Kia is enjoying massive popularity among Indian buyers, despite its limited lineup.
UVO connect has plenty of features, including voice commands, which fall under one of the following nine categories – Calling, Weather Info, Time & Date, Cricket Info, Indian Holiday Calender, Media Control, Navigation Control, and Climate Control. The system also has a personal AI assistant onboard, which can be accessed via a simple voice command, “Hey Kia”.
Kookhyun Shim, MD and CEO, Kia Motors India, had this to say on the occasion: “For today’s internet-savvy generation, a car should be their extension in every aspect including connectivity which can ease mobility. Our advanced UVO connect technology is a breakthrough effort in this direction which integrates smart devices with our cars for enabling a seamless, safer and memorable drive experience.”
“Technology has always been at the focal point since our maiden launch in the country and we are elated to achieve one more milestone in car connectivity,” He added. The connected car features can be accessed via a car’s infotainment system, or even via a smartphone or smartwatch using the UVO app, which adds to the convenience factor of these vehicles.
Earlier this year, the South Korean carmaker had stated that all its future models in the Indian market will feature connected car tech. The brand only plans to sell SUVs and MPVs in India, and no sedan and hatchbacks are in consideration.