Kia Connect

Last updated
Kia Connect
Original author(s) Kia America
Developer(s) Kia America
Initial releaseJanuary 2011 (2011-01)
Available inEnglish, French, Spanish, German
Type Telematics
License Proprietary commercial software
Website owners.kia.com/content/owners/en/about-uvo-link.html

Kia Connect, formerly UVO eServices, is a paid subscription OEM infotainment and telematics service offered by Kia Motors America on select vehicles for the United States market. The system allows users to make hands-free calls on their smartphone, stream music, navigate to a POI, and perform vehicle diagnostics with the use of voice commands.

Contents

The integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system is developed by Kia Motors and other third-party developers.

Kia UVO Logo Kia UVO Logo.png
Kia UVO Logo
UVO eServices with Premium Nav, in a 2015 K900 Kia UVO Premium 1.0 Headunit from a 2015 K900.png
UVO eServices with Premium Nav, in a 2015 K900

Overview

First launched in the 2011 model year, Kia's UVO entertainment system included the HD radio, CD player, and a built-in digital jukebox. The system also interfaces with Bluetooth-enabled phones and utilizes touchscreen and voice command technology.

The UVO system is driven by vehicle communications with a smartphone application. Data transfers from the vehicle to the smartphone application utilize the customer's mobile carrier resulting in a subscription-free telematics service. Users of the system are able to interact with their vehicle to retrieve diagnostic trouble codes. Users can also load a point of interest to the vehicle's head unit. Other technologies like GPS and interactive voice response are also integrated into the system.

Users are able to access the vehicle data on the smartphone application and through a customer web portal. [1] In the 2015 model year, select vehicles launched with an Android-based [2] operating platform to allow flexibility to integrate 3rd-party applications. Certain vehicles have USB (for model years 2014 and later) and Wi-Fi connectivity (for model years 2015 and later).

The service was renamed Kia Connect in September 2021. [3]

Infotainment features

The below table provides a short description of UVO eServices features. Feature availability depends on model and model year. [4]

FeatureDescription
UVO FeaturesSirius XM TravelLinkSiriusXM Travel Link provides real-time information on Weather, Traffic, Fuel Prices, Stocks, Sports, and Movies.
Parking MinderParking Minder can store and display the last known location where a vehicle was parked.
My POIsUsers can store a list of addresses that can be synced to a UVO head unit and used by the Navigation feature.
PandoraThe Pandora app for the UVO head unit can connect to a user's Pandora smartphone app to play songs and display track information.
Trip InfoView analytics about monthly driving habits, such as average speed, average time, and average distance.
My Car ZoneA set of monitoring features including Curfew Limit Alert, Speed Alert, and Geo Fence Alert.
Curfew Limit AlertStores an alert when a UVO vehicle is driven after a user configured curfew time.
Speed AlertStores an alert when a UVO vehicle is driven faster than a user-configured speed limit.
Geo Fence AlertStores an alert when a UVO vehicle is driven within a user configured restricted area.
Vehicle DiagnosticsUVO vehicles can identify when there is a diagnostic issue. UVO owners can view diagnostic issues and send the report to a dealership when scheduling a service appointment.
Critical Diagnostic AlertCritical Diagnostic Alert can notify the driver if a diagnostic issue is found.
Scheduled DiagnosticsDiagnostic checks can be scheduled to run on a monthly cycle.
Enhanced Roadside AssistEnhanced Roadside Assistance can help UVO owners connect to an agent by placing a call through the owner's phone and transmitting data about the location and state of the vehicle.
911 ConnectIn the event of an airbag deployment UVO can attempt to automatically place a call and send the vehicle's location to emergency services.
Infotainment FeaturesSirius XM RadioUVO owners with a SiriusXM subscription can listen with the integrated SiriusXM radio receiver.
SIRIUS Travel LinkUVO owners with a Sirius Travel Link subscription can access integrated weather, fuel prices, sports, movie listings, and stock prices data.
Bluetooth AudioBluetooth audio support includes dialing and making phone calls, syncing phone contacts, and streaming audio.
Voice CommandsVoice commands are integrated with the phone, media player, and navigation functions as well as select UVO head unit apps.
NavigationUVO navigation is available on UVO eServices with Nav head units. It has integrations with traffic data and My POIs.

In-vehicle apps

Beginning with the 2015 Optima, the UVO eServices with 8" Nav system allows users to download applications from the UVO download center for in-vehicle use via the head unit. Currently, Yelp is available in the UVO download center.

3rd party features

Beginning with 2015 Optima, the UVO eServices with 8" Nav system allows users to connect the vehicle head unit to a WiFi hotspot. Once connected to WiFi, most vehicles can access Google local search via a button on the steering wheel to search for POIs via voice recognition. The 2015 UVO eServices with 8" Nav system also supports Siri Eyes Free which allows users to access Siri via a button on the steering wheel for supported Apple devices.

MyUVO.com

Owners of UVO equipped vehicles can register for an account on www.myuvo.com to view information related to their vehicle. Vehicle information available includes vehicle diagnostics, trip info, MyCarZone, and MyPOIs. In addition to viewing vehicle information, users can also view the maintenance schedule for their vehicle and schedule appointments with a dealer. Also, users can earn awards by actively using the website.

Smartphone app

UVO eServices app launcher icon UVO eServices App Launcher Icon.png
UVO eServices app launcher icon

The UVO smartphone app is available in the iTunes and Google Play stores. The app interfaces with the vehicle through a USB or Bluetooth connection. The UVO eServices with 8" Nav head unit requires a USB connection to transfer telematics data, while others use Bluetooth for data transfer. All head units can connect with Bluetooth for phone and audio functions.

2014 re-design

In 2014, the app was re-skinned and new features were added. On compatible 2015 vehicles, the UVO app will display trip information and My Car Zone.

Data transfer

The UVO app serves as a web interface for vehicles that do not have embedded web capabilities. Data is transferred from the UVO head unit to the app via Bluetooth or USB, which is then transferred to the web and viewable from both the app and the web.

UVO versions

UVO eServices with 8" Nav, in a 2015 Soul Kia UVO AVN 4.0 Gen 1+ Headunit in a 2015 Soul.png
UVO eServices with 8" Nav, in a 2015 Soul

UVO

The original UVO was released on 2011 vehicles. Features include voice commands, Bluetooth, jukebox, and a rear-view camera. UVO was replaced by UVO eServices on most models by the 2014 model year. Although the standard version was discontinued, it is still used in 2015 LX, EX Sedonas.

UVO eServices

UVO eServices was the first UVO to interface with MyUVO.com and the UVO mobile app. It was introduced on 2013 model year Optima, Optima Hybrid, and Sportage. In addition to having all of the features on the original UVO, UVO eServices has Parking Minder, Enhanced Roadside Assist, and Vehicle Diagnostics. On 2015 model year vehicles, Trip Info and My Car Zone features are included.

UVO eServices with 7" Nav

UVO eServices with 7" Nav was introduced alongside UVO eServices on some 2013 models. In addition to all of the features of UVO and UVO eServices, the 7" Nav version has Navigation and My POIs. On 2015 model year vehicles, Trip Info and My Car Zone are included.

UVO eServices with 8" Nav

UVO eServices with 8" Nav was introduced on the 2014 Soul. It has all of the features of UVO eServices with 7" Nav, the larger screen accepts swipe gestures, and features are organized in the way that apps are organized on a tablet.

On September 22, 2014, an update for the 2014 Soul UVO with Nav system was released which unlocks the eServices including My Car Zone, Vehicle Diagnostics, and 911 Connect. [5] It also includes updated maps and improved navigation features, as well as Siri Eyes-Free.

UVO Premium

UVO Premium was designed specifically for the 2015 K900. It shares most of its features with UVO eServices with 7" Nav. It comes with a completely redesigned user interface and the touch screen from other UVO versions is replaced with a controller wheel on the center console.

Vehicles offering UVO/Kia Connect

The following vehicles are UVO/Kia Connect capable, available as either an optional or standard feature. The date next to each vehicle indicates in which model year UVO was first available on that specific vehicle. On some models, UVO/Kia Connect are not available on all trim levels. [6]

North America:

India

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OnStar</span> Subsidiary of General Motors

OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, emergency services, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">On-board diagnostics</span> Automotive engineering terminology

On-board diagnostics (OBD) is a term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capability. In the United States, this self-diagnostic is a requirement to comply with Federal Emissions standards to detect failures that may increase the vehicle tailpipe emissions to more than 150% of the standard to which it was originally certified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kia K5</span> Mid-size car

The Kia K5, formerly known as the Kia Optima, is a mid-size car manufactured by Kia since 2000 and marketed globally through various nameplates. First generation cars were mostly marketed as the Optima, although the Kia Magentis name was used in Europe and Canada when sales began there in 2002. For the second-generation models, Kia used the Kia Lotze and Kia K5 name for the South Korean market, and the Magentis name globally, except in the United States, Canada, Malaysia and the Middle East, where the Optima name was retained until the 2021 model year. The K5 name is used for all markets since the introduction of the fifth generation in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TomTom</span> Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems

TomTom N.V. is a Dutch multinational developer and creator of location technology and consumer electronics. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Amsterdam, TomTom released its first generation of satellite navigation devices to market in 2004. As of 2019 the company has over 4,500 employees worldwide and operations in 29 countries throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue&Me</span>

Blue&Me is an integrated in-vehicle infotainment system used worldwide on many vehicles marketed by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) from model years 2006–2017. With the exception of the Ford Ka, which is a lightly modified Fiat 500, the system is exclusive to Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia cars and to Fiat Professional's light commercial vehicles

The Multi Media Interface (MMI) system is an in-car user interface media system developed by Audi, and was launched at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show on the Audi Avantissimo concept car. Production MMI was introduced in the second generation Audi A8 D3 in late 2002 and implemented in majority of its latest series of automobiles.

Ford Sync is a factory-installed, integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows users to make hands-free telephone calls, control music and perform other functions with the use of voice commands. The system consists of applications and user interfaces developed by Ford and other third-party developers. The first two generations run on the Windows Embedded Automotive operating system designed by Microsoft, while the third and fourth generations runs on the QNX operating system from BlackBerry Limited. Future versions will run on the Android operating system from Google.

In-car Internet refers to Internet service provided in a car. Internet access can be provided by tethering a mobile phone, or with a mobile hotspot, whether portable or built into the car. Built in systems have existed since 2008 and include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safety Connect</span> Toyota subscription-based telematics system

Safety Connect is a subscription-based telematics system introduced by Toyota Motor Corporation in 2009 for its Toyota-branded and Lexus models. The system provides communications, roadside assistance, car safety, remote diagnostics, and other services. Unlike the earlier Lexus Link service offered on Lexus models, the Safety Connect system is proprietary and not licensed from GM's OnStar service. Safety Connect began to be offered on vehicles in the middle of 2009. For Toyota vehicles, the Safety Connect service is offered including the aforementioned features as part of the Toyota Entune telematics package, while Lexus models receive the Lexus Enform telematics system with Safety Connect, adding hands free calling, and destination assistance services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G-Book</span> Telematics subscription service

G-Book is a telematics subscription service provided by Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan for its Toyota- and Lexus-branded vehicles. G-Book allows users to link with cellphones. personal digital assistants (PDA)'s, personal computers (PC) and G-Book equipped cars across Japan. It is based on the former GAZOO infrastructure of Toyota's membership-based information service and membership system, and it provides interactive information services via vehicle installed touch-screen wireless communication terminals. It also incorporates information from Toyota Mapmaster Inc. which updates digital mapping information and is used by various international companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MyFord Touch</span> Vehicular entertainment system

MyFord Touch is an in-car communications and entertainment system developed by the Ford Motor Company, based on Microsoft technologies. The technology was factory installed with Ford product offerings and was based on the Microsoft Auto 4.0 software platform. It was regarded as the next-generation of Ford Sync. Announced in January 2010, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the technology launched with the 2011 Ford Edge. Reviews of MyFord Touch were overwhelmingly negative. A USB drive, self-installed software upgrade became available in March, 2012; this update was mailed out free-of-charge to all Ford customers, and Ford also offered free installation of the update by any Ford dealer. The update did not address continuing problems with light-touch capacitor switches that control many functions. Several updates have since been released which allowed for more natural speech recognition, simpler Bluetooth pairing, and refinement of the on-screen interface and menus.

Telenav, Inc. is a wireless location-based services corporation that provides services including Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation, local search, automotive navigation solutions, mobile advertising, enterprise mobility and workflow automation. The company’s headquarters are located in Santa Clara, California in the United States with additional offices in the U.S., Germany, Japan, Romania, China, and Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Entune</span> Multimedia system for Toyota automobiles

Toyota Entune is an integrated multimedia navigation and telematics system for Toyota automobiles that provides satellite-based information on traffic, weather, sports scores, stocks, and fuel prices via subscription through SiriusXM. In 2023, support for Entune phone app was discontinued, and Entune features were integrated into the Toyota phone app. When connected to a compatible cellular phone running the Entune app via radio or USB cable, the system provided a browser and other apps including those from music services such as iHeartRadio, Pandora and XM Satellite Radio. The cell phone app supported iOS, Android, and Blackberry with different versions utilizing cell data. The system could be controlled with (limited) speech recognition, and optionally include the “Safety Connect” personalization system.

A connected car is a car that can communicate bidirectionally with other systems outside of the car. This connectivity can be used to provide services to passengers or to support or enhance self-driving functionality. For safety-critical applications, it is anticipated that cars will also be connected using dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) or cellular radios, operating in the FCC-granted 5.9 GHz band with very low latency.

MyLink a.k.a. Intellilink is a telematics system/infotainment system offered by General Motors in their vehicles. The system was debuted in 2011 in the then-new Chevrolet Volt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CarWings</span> Vehicle telematics service

CarWings, renamed NissanConnect in 2015, and also branded as Infiniti InTouch is a vehicle telematics service offered by the Nissan Motor Company to drivers in Japan, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and most other countries where the LEAF is sold. It provides mobile connectivity for on-demand traffic information services and internet provided maps displayed inside select Nissan vehicles. The service began in December 1997, having been installed in the 1997 Nissan Cedric, Nissan Gloria, Nissan President, Nissan Cima and the Nissan Elgrand.

Hyundai Blue Link is a vehicle system that uses a mobile app from Hyundai to allow the user to retrieve information about their vehicle and perform basic remote operations. Blue Link functionality varies based on the type of vehicle as well as the type of cell service modem the vehicle is equipped with. In the United States, the Blue Link system debuted on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster as standard equipment, and has become an available feature on most Hyundai models sold since then. The service currently costs $99 a year and can be used for roadside service, performance information, and remote start, stop, and lock/unlock features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CarPlay</span> Protocol for connecting Apple hardware to car radios

CarPlay, or Apple CarPlay is an Apple standard that enables a car radio or head unit to be a display and controller for an iOS device. It is available on iPhone 5 and later models running iOS 7.1 or later.

Automotive hacking is the exploitation of vulnerabilities within the software, hardware, and communication systems of automobiles.

References

  1. "MyUVO.com". 2014-07-15.
  2. "Kia unveils all-new Soul at New York Auto Show". Kia Press Release. 2013-03-28.
  3. "Kia's UVO Connect becomes Kia Connect" by Matt de Prez, FleetNews, 29 September 2021
  4. "MyUVO.com Availability". 2014-07-15.
  5. http://www.kia-gpsmap.us/map-updates/2014-kia-soul-map-update.html [ dead link ]
  6. "Availability" . Retrieved 2014-04-07.