The multimedia interface on Hyundai vehicles is among the most highly regarded in the automotive industry. It's also one of the most advanced. It's already possible to swap the vehicle key for another means of identification. And with the introduction of Hyundai Pay, vehicle occupants will also be able to make payments without having to take their wallet out of their pocket.
Hyundai divides the multimedia and connected services that equip its latest vehicles into two. The Bluelink platform includes everything related to entertainment, maintenance and useful information for the driver. MyHyundai includes a website and mobile application from which these services can be accessed.
It's a bit confusing at first, but the formula seems to be working: independent firm JD Power recently established that the Bluelink and MyHyundai combination formed the most popular computer mobility experience among the multimedia interfaces of all electric vehicles currently on the market.
This ranking focused exclusively on electric vehicles, but it reveals an interesting trend: according to JD Power, a well-made connected multimedia interface will convince more buyers that electric vehicles are more attractive than comparable gasoline-powered vehicles.
Digital key 2.0
With over a million users today, Hyundai Bluelink is already a popular platform. Hyundai presents its multimedia interface as “an open door to choice and adaptability” for motorists. Thanks to the in-car system and the Bluelink application, drivers can personalize their journey according to their preferences, in real time.
A good example is the Connected Itinerary service, a cloud-based navigation tool custom-built by Hyundai and its suppliers. It optimizes routes using real-time traffic data from TomTom, for optimal, stress-free journeys.
Bluelink also offers online Points of Interest (POIs), to provide suggestions when you visit places you’re less familiar. Users receive up-to-date information on nearby attractions, restaurants and services, as well as promotional offers such as discounts on car washes or even free coffee (and who doesn't want free coffee?).
Trendy types will love Bluelink's new integrated digital key. The “Digital Key 2” turns your smartphone into a key for your vehicle, allowing access simply by putting your phone close to the vehicle. Keep your phone in your pocket and unlock your car, just by walking up to it. No fuss no muss.
And as seen in that Hyundai ad, you can share this remote access with family and friends, a convenience more practical than you might think.
Hyundai Pay
The Hyundai Pay payment service was unveiled at the launch of the 2024 Kona. This feature allows users to reserve and pay in advance for parking in participating public car parks, directly from the touchscreen of their Hyundai vehicle.
To access it, users need just sign up for Bluelink. For the moment, the service is focused on parking, as it helps find and reserve a space without having to drive around in circles to find it. But we can see the future potential of this application when it will be possible to pay to charge your vehicle's battery, or why not, to order a coffee from the local drive-thru.
Connectivity in three stages
For Hyundai, these connected services are designed to increase customer ownership via a subscription formula that will also generate new revenues.
This subscription-based formula is crucial, according to the Korean automaker, as it paves the way for a subscription-based leasing formula that could also be applied to the purchase of a new vehicle. Hyundai sees the day when you can simply subscribe and pay monthly for access to a vehicle, without having to fill out paperwork or tedious purchase or lease contracts.
Hyundai has already done away with the key, is in the process of doing away with the need for a wallet, and clearly hopes to do away with sales contracts one day too. That would be quite a revolution!
