The Auto Expo is any Indian car enthusiasts dream come true. The floor of the event is packed with some of the most desirable and drool-worthy vehicles currently available. It also offers visitors a taste of what they can expect in the future. This may come in the form of concept cars like the Tata Sierra Concept, the Maruti Suzuki Futuro-E and the Renault Symbioz Concept, which wowed audiences. These concepts hint at the possible designs of future vehicles. Besides concept cars, there was also an increased focus on connected cars.
With so many gadgets becoming smart, it was only a matter of time before your car becomes smart too. In fact, it looks like the future is already here with many companies like MG, Hyundai, and Kia announcing a plethora of connected features in their cars at the Auto Expo 2020. The MG Hector, Hyundai Venue and Kia Seltos give us a taste of what the future might have to offer in terms of the connected car. But what exactly is a connected car?
Well in layman’s terms, a connected car is a vehicle that is capable of connecting to the internet. Think of it as your vehicle also jumping on the Internet of Things (IoT) bandwagon. By connecting to the internet, the vehicle would be capable of sharing a host of data, with almost any other device that too is connected to the internet. In other words, your car could send details about itself to your smartphone. Conversely, you could send instructions from your phone to your car.
While this may sound very futuristic, the coolest part of this is the fact that connected cars are already here in India. The MG Hector was one of the first connected cars available in the country and offers its drivers the i-Smart connectivity solution. The car comes with an embedded SIM (eSIM) and MG has partnered with Airtel to offer its 4G connectivity solutions to Hector drivers. This partnership is one of the first such team-ups and all signs suggest that it definitely won’t be the last.
Thanks to connectivity offered by the Airtel 4G eSIM, customers can experience a whole new way of controlling the various features of their car. The i-Smart app allows MG Hector drives to issues commands before they reach their car. For example, the users can turn on the AC in their car before they reach the vehicle, ensuring that the car is already cool by the time they reach it. Other features include the ability to remote unlock the doors or the boot.
A connected car like the MG Hector can also improve safety and security. For example, Hector owners can create a geofence around the car. This will allow them to be notified the moment the car leaves the area. The car is also capable of running a self-diagnosis and inform the driver if there are certain issues like low tyre pressure. This will give the driver a heads up so that they can take the necessary precautions before they set out.
These were just a few examples of how a connected car like the MG Hector can help drivers. The possibilities offered by the connected car seem to be limited only by the imagination and we can only wait and see what the future holds.
[Brand story by Airtel]
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