Hyundai: “cars will be like smartphones in the future”. From 2023 OTA updates on all new vehicles

Starting in 2023, all new Hyundai Group vehicles will receive OTA software updates, which stands for Over-The-Air . In 2025 things will get more interesting, Hyundai claims that all of its cars will become “software-defined vehicles”.

“Cars will become like smartphones, there will be a transformation of the concept of vehicles,” said Chung Kook Park, No. 1 in the research and development division of the Hyundai Group. Basically, cars will constantly receive new features with constant updates.

It is a philosophy that has been affecting the entire automotive sector for some time. For several years, brands such as Ford have foreseen the possibility of improving the functions of their latest generation cars thanks to OTA updates. Tesla, on this, led the way.

Updates are not always free. In some cases, the updates allow you to unlock real options, such as Tesla’s most advanced autonomous driving (which has a cost that varies from year to year, increasing depending on the functions introduced ).

Specifically, Hyundai explained that the new OTA updates will introduce both new functions (the most banal example is infotainment) and various improvements to vehicle performance. It is not uncommon, for example, that electric cars on the market see their range improved after a software update designed to optimize their efficiency.

“These updates can be installed anywhere and at any time, the driver does not have to bring his vehicle to a service center,” adds Hyundai.