Hyundai Motor announced on Tuesday that the company will partner with Cisco Systems soon to develop Internet-connected car technology, which according to the automaker, is the company’s push to develop high-performing computers on wheels. Auto and tech firms, these days, are increasingly forming alliances to expand services that connect cars to the Internet, particularly in the race to develop self-driving cars. According to Hyundai, its Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun apparently met Cisco Chief Executive Chuck Robbins in Seoul and they have both agreed to co-develop in-vehicle network technology for high-speed transfer of large amounts of data.
Hyundai said in a statement the cooperation is part of Hyundai Motor’s wider strategy to establish an industry-leading connected car platform through collaboration with leading technology partners. Other similar alliances include Toyota Motor Corp’s expansion of a five-year-old partnership with Microsoft Corp to develop new Internet-connected vehicle services, not only for owners, but also for dealers. The Japanese automaker has established “Toyota Connected” at its US headquarters in the city of Plano in Texas. The aim is to consolidate its existing connectivity services and serve as the company’s “data science” hub. Microsoft is known to have a 5 percent stake in the venture.
Among the plethora of services that are to be developed or expanded under “Toyota Connected” are insurance coverage and rates based on owners’ actual driving patterns; which is sure to revolutionize the vehicle insurance industry, connected vehicle networks that can share information on traffic and weather conditions, such as icy roads, and also information services tailored to a driver’s habits and preferences, including monitoring heart rate, glucose level and other personal health data, which can determine the driver’s fitness levels at the time of driving. With time, many such collaborations are expected to be seen coming up.
