The Economist USA - 26.10.2019

(Brent) #1

For Cho, this sense of personalisation and customisation is
currently missing from the automotive sector. “Whether you’re
sitting behind the wheel or in the back seat of a car, what is the
customer experience? I have to admit, there’s not much. Perhaps
choosing the colour of the car body and seats or selecting the tyre
sizes—but that’s it.”
Now, Hyundai believes it can reinvent the entire experience
of purchasing, owning, driving or riding in a car. The “Style Set
Free” concept aims to give customers near-total control over
their vehicle’s style, feel and utilisation. This is made possible
because Hyundai’s electric cars will be smart, highly connected
and adaptable machines that allow people to accommodate
their lifestyle and needs. For example, you have the flexibility
to customise your Hyundai car to be an entertainment centre,
featuring 8K resolution screens and in-vehicle movie and game
packages, or a mobile office or study area complete with a high-
bandwidth data package, workspace and video panels.
This revolution in mobility will give families the scope to
adjust their vehicle as they would their home—depending on their
changing needs or circumstances. “I’m confident that cars as a
living space will be the next evolution in future mobility,” says Cho.
“And ‘Style Set Free’ will allow you to personalise your car, just as
you would make a room your own place.”


THE RIGHT KIND OF CONNECTION
Beyond the physical environment, harnessing the power of
connectivity is at the heart of Hyundai’s ethos of “Connected
Mobility”. This means that people can connect to who and what
matters to them, even when they are on the go. For example,
autonomous technology frees drivers from the need to focus


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note of your biometric information, track your physical condition and
provide a healthy environment that is customised for you.
The car will remove odour, dust and bacteria, automatically
adjust temperature and humidity in consideration of the season
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reflect your emotional state. This is all to ensure that the time spent
in the car is as healthy, relaxing and pleasurable as possible, and all
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on the road. However, this is not an abdication of responsibility.
Rather, for drivers taking frustrating and time-consuming
journeys in heavy city traffic, the ability of Hyundai’s vehicles to
communicate with infrastructure, other vehicles and pedestrians
reduces stress and fatigue. In fact, by 2030, Hyundai plans to roll
out total autonomous driving—where the car’s system is in control
on any road or situation and the driver never has to interfere.
This freedom to not drive gives the driver the same flexibility
of choice as the vehicle’s occupants. In the car, they have the time
and freedom to make use of the car’s always-on connectivity.
For example, you can use the vehicle’s car-to-home technology
to take control of the electronic devices in their home, improve
productivity at work via the car’s secretarial functions, or use in-
car apps to browse and make purchases online.

WHY “CONNECTED MOBILITY” MEANS QUALITY TIME
This ability to look beyond the vehicle—to focus on the time, rather
than just the journey—is the key to “Connected Mobility”. For some,
quality time may actually occur in the car itself. For others, the
ability to get something done while on the move will subsequently
free up valuable minutes later in the day. This is time that can be
spent with friends and family or even just unwinding alone.
As Cho explains, “In the past, people sought quality products.
But now this has shifted to quality experiences. We hope that with
more quality time, people may be able to feel more connected
with others and with themselves.”
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