Bluelink app to debut on ’23 Palisade

HYUNDAI Motor Company Australia (HMCA) will introduce its new Bluelink app and connected car services on the upcoming Palisade facelift model (scheduled to arrive in the local market in Q3), after which the always-connected features will be gradually introduced throughout the Korean brand’s local line-up.

The app will enable owners of compatible Hyundai models to stay connected to their vehicles “for maximum safety, security, convenience and enjoyment”, the brand says.

Bluelink will be free to download from the Apple Store or Google Play Store and the app (and its associated connected-car services) will be provided to users free of charge for the first five ears of new-vehicle ownership.

The app’s most basic – but potentially life-saving – function is automatic collision notification…

In the event of an accident that causes the airbags to deploy, the vehicle will automatically call for help, with emergency assistance available (24 hours a day, all year round) by pressing the SOS button.

A user can also use the app to check if their vehicle is secure. For example, if they forgot to lock the car or close its boot lid/tailgate and windows, Bluelink will send a push notification to their ‘phone. The app can then be used to remotely close the openings (if required), as well as lock the Hyundai.

What’s more, apart from allowing a user to check the fuel level/battery charge and remaining range of their Hyundai, Bluelink can actuate a diagnostic check and alert them if any of their car’s systems need to be checked over (such as tyre pressure, brakes, airbags and other safety and security features).

Beyond helping a user find their car (in case they’d forgotten where they had parked it), the navigation functionality of the app enables them to search for a destination, parking space, service station or restaurant, and then send the location to the car’s native navigation system (Destination Send-to-Car).

Then, after parking near their destination, a user can use Last Mile Navigation to continue the in-car navigation experience on foot with Augmented Reality or Google Maps smartphone guidance.

Bluelink also lets a user pre-set their ideal cabin temperature – or activate their vehicle’s heated and ventilated seats remotely, but this remote-control functionality is extended on Hyundai EV models.

Beyond being capable of locating available public charging stations and checking when those would be available for recharging a Hyundai PHEV or BEV, the app can schedule charging to capture off-peak electricity rates, manage charging to optimise battery life and, yes, pre-heat or -cool the cabin.

Bluelink further provides quick access to driving information records; the connected services bring the security and peace of mind of vale-t, geofencing- and time-fencing modes, as well as a speed alert.

Finally, the app’s Cloud back-up functionality enables a user to set, check and upload their vehicle preferences, so that the info may be transferred to another compatible Hyundai vehicle if necessary.

Apart from accessing the Hyundai Bluelink app from their smartphone’s online software depository, a user can scan the in-car QR code, after which the functionality will be downloaded automatically.

“With the rollout of Hyundai Bluelink, we are firmly on track to realise our goal of delivering the super-connected mobility solutions of the future,” said Hyundai Motor Company Australia CEO, Ted Lee.

“Bluelink makes owning a Hyundai safer, with the benefit of the Automatic Collision Notification and SOS functions, as well as more convenient and more rewarding.

“With Bluelink now it’s easier than ever for customers to stay connected to their Hyundai,” he added.