MG Hector will go on sale in India in July 2019 and it will compete against a range of premium SUVs with segment-first in-car connectivity features
MG Motor India is primed to make a big impact in the domestic market by creating a unique identity compounding the premium brand image. The British automaker is debuting with the Hector and it will come with a number of in-car connectivity features including a 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment screen with tablet-like portrait orientation as you can see in the Tesla models.
The i-Smart system is responsible for a range of connectivity options that deal with entertainment, safety and convenience as key concerns. The Hector will come equipped with an embedded SIM card that is Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPV6) supportive and 5G ready.
The presence of cloud-based services meant the MG Hector OTA (Over The Air) updates helping in downloading new contents, applications and themes. The eCall emergency response system notifies MG’s customer management centre called Pulse Hub and any registered phone of the owner’s preference to trigger emergency response actions.
It will also receive AI-powered Voice Assist and MG makes a big deal of it. It can be activated by saying ‘Hello MG’ and it comprises of over 100 functions. The SAIC-owned company claims that the Hector will deliver India’s first “AI superior user experiences” and it has been customised for use locally.
For instance, the voice command function can understand as much as 100 accents and is claimed to be “first Indian English voice AI enabled virtual assistant”. Third-party apps such as TomTom-sourced IQ Maps navigation, music streaming service Gaana with a premium account and AccuWeather which can be used for weather forecasting are also available.
The cabin of the Hector will have minimalistic use of physical buttons as voice commands with AI assistance can pretty much perform the designated tasks such as navigation, climate control, sunroof operation and much more. The Hector will be protected by Microsoft Intelligent Security and Geo-Fencing brings in an additional layer of protection.
The MG iSmart application aids customers with real-time information like service status and reminder, door lock and unlock status, pressure on each tyre, current location, etc. It can also be used to set the next service appointment via SAP technology.
The Magnet dealer management system offers details regarding dealerships, service centres and their locations among others. The Hector will be retailed with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel unit sourced from Fiat.