SsangYong Motors To Work With Tech Mahindra And LG Uplus For Connected Car Platform

Every carmaker around the world is working to equip its offerings with state-of-the-art tech, which not only helps them gain an upper hand against the competition but also assures their customers of the company's evolution with the automotive world. One such project has been taken up by the Mahindra-owned South Korean car firm, SsangYong. It has tied-up with an Indian IT firm, Tech Mahindra and a South Korean telecommunications firm LG Uplus to co-develop a connected car platform in the next three years.

Connected cars are equipped to link themselves to a common communications network by integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). This integration helps enable real-time information sharing and controlling the cars remotely, whenever required. 

While SsangYong will develop the interior systems of the car, Tech Mahindra will provide the telematics platform, which comprises of security, safety and remote controls of the car. The telecom firm LG Uplus will offer the communications network to enable internet access in the car and also develop a platform that could offer infotainment to passengers. This MOU could further lead SsangYong to create a R&D (research and development) platform with its mother company Mahindra & Mahindra Group, as a common play-ground to work upon and strengthen the required know-how of the auto industry's future.

At a press conference, Byung-Do Yoon, head of SsangYong Motor Product Development, said “SsangYong now got a foothold to enhance competitiveness in the smart car market through this MOU agreement.” And he added, “We will continuously innovate to correspond and lead the paradigm shift of future automobile industry by developing connected car platform and autonomous vehicles.”

This isn’t the first time that the South Korean car firm has collaborated with another firm to keep pace with the rapidly evolving auto industry. In June 2015, SsangYong joined hands with OAA (Open Automotive Alliance), a global connected car development alliance based on Android operating system, led by Google, to develop the next generation of automobiles.