KIA pushes 153 updates in a single Over The Air delivery

Thanks to OTA (Over The Air) technology, KIA has updated thousands of cars worldwide remotely and in just one day.

Just as you would update your smartphone’s operating system, electric cars are continually evolving. The components remain the same, but their management changes. This is one of the major strengths of this generation of electronic vehicles.

Thus, KIA has communicated about its latest remote update, thanks to OTA (Over The Air), which, via the car’s GPS connection, allows it to benefit from the latest advancements. This update concerns vehicles equipped with a telematics system since the 2022 model year.

New Features for an Enhanced Experience

This update includes 153 enhancements aimed at giving drivers better control over the technological tools in their vehicle. Among the standout additions, the integration of the SoundCloud application now allows access to an impressive music catalog of over 375 million tracks from 40 million artists worldwide. This feature adds to the already available Amazon Music application, which now benefits from voice recognition.

Another advantage of this update is the optimization of the route planner for electric vehicles (EV). The navigation system can now automatically detect charging stations along a route and adjust the itinerary accordingly. Thanks to a split-screen display, drivers benefit from simultaneous visualization of essential information such as arrival time, vehicle charge status, and available charging points.

In addition to the new entertainment features, the OTA update includes improvements to streamline the driving experience. For example, alerts from the intelligent speed adaptation system can now be disabled simply by pressing the Mute button on the steering wheel, a feature that offers greater control and peace of mind for the driver.

Voice commands have been expanded to provide a more intuitive management of the vehicle. It is now possible to control several aspects by voice, including searching for charging stations, adjusting the date and time, ambient lighting, and dashboard information.

Fluid and Fast Updates

OTA updates are now faster thanks to a bandwidth that is three times wider. The process is completely transparent for the user: once the new software download is complete, a confirmation appears on the screen when the vehicle is stationary. This fluidity in managing updates allows drivers to enjoy new features without having to visit a dealership.

KIA customers KIA can enjoy a free first year trial with two OTA updates for navigation maps and infotainment systems. Subsequently, it will be possible to subscribe to an annual plan starting at €89, which includes two update packs per year, ensuring KIA vehicles are consistently up to date.

This is also a way for manufacturers to earn a bit of money…