Samsung, Hyundai launch Car-to-Home service via SmartThings

Samsung Electronics has launched a Car-to-Home service with Hyundai Motor Group that lets drivers control Samsung home appliances from inside certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles via the SmartThings platform, the company said.

The feature uses the in-car screen to activate devices such as air conditioners, air purifiers, lights, and robot vacuum cleaners, including preset “home” and “away” modes, Samsung said.

It is available on Hyundai and Kia vehicles produced after November 2022 that support the connected car navigation cockpit infotainment platform, and the partners plan to add support for more models through software updates, Samsung said.

Samsung and Hyundai Motor Group previously introduced a Home-to-Car service in September that lets users control functions such as engine start and EV charging from home.

🔗 Source: Yonhap

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

This partnership reaches business fleets and vehicle tracking

Kia will add Samsung’s business-to-business (B2B) management platform, SmartThings Pro, to its commercial ‘Platform Beyond Vehicles’ (PBVs), a lineup of purpose-built vehicles built for delivery and service work 1.
Business operators can control in-store systems such as air conditioning or digital signage from the vehicle, or set up automated check-ins for unmanned properties 1.
The deal also brings in SmartThings Find, which relies on a crowdsourced network of hundreds of millions of Galaxy devices to locate vehicles over Bluetooth Low Energy even when cellular service is unavailable 2.

The car is becoming a fight for tech ecosystem loyalty

The arrangement moves Samsung’s SmartThings into the vehicle, alongside in-car platforms such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto 3.
Linking a high-cost purchase like a car with home appliances can keep customers in one ecosystem, which can make a Hyundai owner with a Samsung TV less likely to switch to an iPhone or Google Nest 2.
The “software-defined vehicle” (SDV), a car whose capabilities can be upgraded through software updates, can serve as a hub for daily routines with a roadmap that includes energy management, in-vehicle health monitoring, and pet care solutions 2.