Highlights:
MG Motor’s entry into India with the MG Hector as its first model is the talk of the town amongst many motoring enthusiasts. In a move sure to boost the car’s hype a month or so before its launch, MG Motor unveiled today in New Delhi the iSMART Next Gen, an inbuilt connectivity and infotainment solution. Expected to debut in the upcoming MG Hector, the solution allows the user to use numerous internet-based features in the car using the car’s 10.4-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen display and its proprietary voice assist system, which is activated by saying “Hello MG”.
The iSMART Next Gen Integrated Solution uses an embedded M2M (machine to machine) SIM card inside powered by Airtel, which lets the user download or stream content on the car’s inbuilt apps such as Gaana (for music), AccuWeather (for weather data), and TomTom (for navigation), said Gaurav Gupta, MG Motor India’s Chief Commercial Officer to Digit.in in a private interview. The integrated solution bundled with the MG Hector is Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPV6)-ready. The system will receive over-the-air updates, much like the way smartphones do. MG Motor also has a smartphone app on Android and iOS to control elements inside the car, like air conditioner and sunroof.
“The integration of internet with cars opens up a gamut of features that can ensure a seamless and updated ownership experience for MG customers in India. With an embedded SIM card and OTA, the MG Hector promises to do a lot more over time with constantly-expanding capabilities, to create a seamless driving experience, throughout the life of the car,” commented Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director of MG Motor India.
To supplement the iSMART Next Gen solution, MG Motor has set up a call centre service called Pulse Hub. Using the car’s display or voice control, an MG Hector user should be able to talk to an MG Motor customer assistant to get help while on the road. The solution can also be programmed to call for assistance in case of a road accident. To achieve all of this, MG Motor has tied up with numerous cloud-based solution partners, like Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Unlimit, SAP, Cisco, Nuance, and others. We should be able to get a taste of what the iSMART Next Gen solution can do in real life when it makes its debut in the much-awaited MG Hector, which should be launched in about a month’s time.
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