When car companies use the term “flagship,” traditionally it means a high-end supercar or a luxurious luxury sedan. But his all-new 2024 model, his Kia EV9, is a flagship of a different kind.
For one thing, it’s a crossover. There is also his big seat with 3 rows of seats for large families. It’s also electric and can fast charge the battery from 10% to 80% within 25 minutes. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but it could be the most expensive Kia in the lineup.
All in all, the EV9 is a big move for a brand that until just a few years ago was synonymous with cheap airport car rentals and “no credit.” No problem.” Dealer. Now, the company is becoming a high-tech company focused on electrification, with global sales targets, and the EV9 will lead the way.
One of its most significant features was a little understated during its debut at the 2023 New York International Auto Show this week: the first to feature Hyundai Motor Group’s new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (stylized as ccNC) operating system. This is Kia from
This update takes Kia’s infotainment and software game to the next level, allowing over-the-air updates for nearly every feature in the car. This is a first for Kia. While Kia’s lineup has his OTA updates for the infotainment system, ccNC allows wireless upgrades for bug fixes, new feature releases, battery optimizations, and more. Ultimately, one of them will also be a more advanced automated driver assistance system.
2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line Interior image credit: yes
OTA updates are expected to be a key technology for new cars in the years to come. Tesla has been offering this feature to customers for years, offering something as serious as an autopilot upgrade or something as ridiculous as a Christmas light show, but the rest of the industry is catching up rapidly. And now that cars have been owned (and often financed) for nearly a decade or more, OTA updates are a way for automakers to get things done if people aren’t buying them all that often. fresh, adding revenue from subscription features to its portfolio.
According to Kia spokesman Jeff Jablansky, the ccNC will run on a new chipset with more processing power than the current model, with “iPhone-like” scrolling speeds, more shortcuts to key features, and better graphics. Revised and other enhancements.
“The mapping is better, the resolution is better,” Jablansky says. “It reduces the number of trips to the service station because we can get up-to-date information when we need it.”
But even as things change, old habits linger. Crucially for many buyers, Jablansky confirmed that unlike General Motors, Kia won’t be ditching his Apple CarPlay integration or Android Auto. “We will launch with it,” Jablansky said, but he added that these features would require a wired connection.
It’s a bit odd for an EV whose close relative, the Genesis GV60, not only offers facial recognition, but also wired-only CarPlay. But Jablanski says the interface is good for people who want to charge their phones in the car anyway.
Wired Carplay Setup for 2021 Chevrolet Trax. GM is phasing out Carplay entirely. image credit: GM
Additionally, the OTA update will open up a new level of in-car personalization, Kia Motors officials said. Maybe a sports team themed interior. Yes seriously.
“We’re still developing these features, but they give us the opportunity to really enhance the graphics as well as keep the car running well,” said Kia America’s Director of Product Planning and Pricing. One Mike Wilde told TechCrunch. At this week’s New York International Auto Show.
“We are looking at things like sports team themed graphical interfaces and on-demand entertainment types,” he added.
The ccNC system first appeared in the ultra-luxury Hyundai Grandeur sedan, which is primarily sold only in South Korea and the Middle East, and is also installed in the 2024 Hyundai Kona, which debuted at the New York International Auto Show this week. Both the EV9 and his new Kona are expected to launch in the fourth quarter of this year. Wilde said ccNC will roll out to all his Kia models as they undergo major updates over the next few years.
Hyundai, Kia and Genesis currently share the same hardware and software, but each brand has its own product planning operations and specific audiences. With ccNC you also get a higher degree of graphical and visual differentiation.
In the case of Kia Motors, Wilde said the conglomerate is trying to reach a younger, “more progressive” audience. For EV9, that means young families with growing numbers of children and grandparents.
If so, they’ll get a family-friendly interior and, reportedly, a “green” interior as well. said that a great deal of attention was paid to creating an airy, clean-looking cabin where parents could easily see their children in the backseat from the front.The EV9 also offers no leather at all. offers non-leather polyurethane seats. They are made partially out of recycled plastic bottles, along with headliners and specific fabrics.
One test of the EV9 is the haptic controls under the central infotainment system. They avoid traditional buttons (also found in cars) for “hidden until lit” switches that vibrate when touched. Other automakers such as Volkswagen and Cadillac have also tried this, but it was not well received.
Jochen Paesen, Kia’s vice president of interior design, told TechCrunch that he believes this setup works better because the switches are closer to the driver, easier to see, and easier to reach than what competitors offer. rice field.
He said the lower battery placement and no need for a transmission tunnel allow for a more “flat floor” for loading cargo, compared to three-row crossovers that typically only fit small cars. added that the rear legroom is much larger. kids in the back.
“This space gives us a lot of opportunities and possibilities,” says Paesen.
