CES 2012: Kia Unveils UVO2 Next-Generation Infotainment Platform

Kia has been aggressively building brand awareness the last few years with a slew of new vehicle introductions and innovations including UVO, the company's in-vehicle infotainment platform.

Today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Kia unveiled its future direction in infotainment with the introduction of UVO2, showcased in an Optima Hybrid sedan. It's really no surprise that the latest iteration of UVO (an acronym that stands for "Your Voice"), now features a new layer of smartphone-enabled services, but what definitely got our attention is the extensive suite of capabilities UVO2 promises.

The list of features reads like a greatest hits of telematics services: automatic crash notification, geo-fencing, roadside assistance and parked vehicle locator. The new features are powered by a free smartphone app which enables the system with a whole new level of connected-vehicle management functions in addition to utilizing many of the features of a driver's smartphone or tablet.

Dubbed eServices, the new telematics suite is the game-changer here, putting UVO2 on the same playing field with more mature systems such as OnStar and Ford Sync -- if the automaker doesn't drag its feet getting the system on the road, as it did with the first-generation of the technology.

Essentially, everything an owner will need is now onboard including navigation, diagnostics and convenience features like parking assist. As with other OE solutions, the telematics suite is used most for safety and maintenance functions like crash notification and scheduled vehicle diagnostics. And if the user gets stumped or needs and assist, the system, powered by Microsoft, also features an eServices Guide that navigates the user experience via voice or touch.

As in the earlier version, UVO2 is managed with voice control and touch screen, and still gives users hands-free management of mobile phone connectivity and music from multiple sources including CD, radio, USB, media player and a Digital Jukebox. But the upgrade means users can also control navigation features with voice prompts.

Kia also used the occasion to announce its In-Vehicle Infotainment Concept at the show, which offered a glimpse at the automaker?s future connected car plans, which look big. The new IVI concept boasts an 11.6-inch multi-touch screen designed to deliver navigation, media playback and networked computer functions all from a single unit.

Bell-ringers here include wireless connectivity with smartphones and tablets, an integrated app store, user-recognition feature and augmented reality navigation that will work in conjunction with exterior vehicle cameras. And put that very large screen to the test, no doubt.

 

**  Courtesy of Edmunds Inside Line Straightline