Soon you will control your car from the sofa

Hyundai Motor is getting closer to its long-term vision of connecting the car to the house by joining forces with the nation’s top telecom company, SK Telecom.

Utilizing SK Telecom’s NUGU digital assistant, a driver will be able to control the basic functions of a car through voice command from the convenience of his or her home. SK Telecom labeled the new service Home2Car.

NUGU will be connected to the Hyundai Motor connected car service BlueLink and Kia Motors’ UVO to control the car.

The new technology is being offered for the first time in Kia Motors’ new Sportage SUV, which launched on Tuesday. It will also be offered in Hyundai Motor’s revamped Tucson model next month.

The service can control five major functions of the car including turning the engine on or off. It can lock or unlock the car’s door. Such functions were available only through the connected car service app UVO in the past.

After the vehicle is turned on, the owner can also control the temperature of the car remotely. It can also honk or turn on the hazard lights.

If the car is electric, an owner can give orders to the car to start or stop charging the battery.

SK Telecom said the service will be in all new models by Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors. Existing models equipped with BlueLink will get automatic upgrades.

Connected car technology is a hot area for both carmakers and telecom companies. According to a McKinsey report, the connected car service industry is expected to hit $1.5 trillion by the year of 2030.

SK Telecom said it will continue to collaborate with Hyundai Motor, aiming to launch an additional Home2Car service utilizing Hyundai Motor’s navigation system.

“The new smart home service has now expanded to vehicles and is expected to boost the users’ convenience,” said an official from SK Telecom. “The service will continue to be upgraded with new services and functions based on customers’ demands.”

Collaborating with global IT firms is a Hyundai Motor priority.

Early this month, Hyundai Motor joined forces with Kakao and Google to install the in-car infotainment application Android Auto in its cars, three years after the application’s launch in the U.S.

It fortified its partnership with Chinese IT giant Baidu early this month by signing a memorandum of understanding to enhance connected services for cars sold in China.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]