British Automaker MG Motor (Morris Garages) today showcased connected car technology in India with the launch of the iSMART Next Gen for connected mobility developed with tech tech partners such as Microsoft, Adobe, Unlimit, SAP, Cisco, Gaana, TomTom and Nuance, developed in partnership with global technology players. MG Hector is scheduled to debut in India in the month of June this year.
The brain of the iSMART Next Gen will be housed in a 10.4” Head Unit. The screen is designed with a vertical interface that allows the driver to control the entire car system with just a touch or voice command. The Head Unit is built to withstand extreme climatic conditions of India. It comes pre-loaded with entertainment content such as Gaana app with Premium Account as showcased by the company
MG Hector iSMART Next Gen comes with an industry first embedded M2M sim that ensures that the car remains connected. The customized solution has been developed by Unlimit in partnership with Cisco and Airtel who have collaborated with their Jasper platform and telecommunication network respectively. The connected mobility solution on the MG Hector is Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPV6) ready for 5G.
This seamless connectivity enables the users to receive real-time software, entertainment content and application updates. Customers will be able to download the software updates immediately or schedule them for later, as in smartphones. This makes MG the first few among the global leaders and the first in India to bring the revolutionary Over The Air (OTA) technology to cars.
The most stunning feature of the MG Hector is Voice Assist. It is a powerful voice application that works on the cloud and head unit. Developed by Nuance for MG India, it has been specifically designed for India for Indian accent learning. As a result of built-in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, the system will learn and get better every day with usage. Activated with ‘Hello MG’, the voice assist allows over 100 commands, including opening and closing of windows and sunroof, ac control, navigation etc. and works even under poor connectivity.
iSMART comes with TomTom’s real-time navigation application. This navigation system would regularly update maps, routes and locations through their IQ Maps feature.
The iSMART Next Gen is supported by the iSMART mobile App. MG iSMART App is feature-rich like none other in the Indian market. The car gets scanned each time the App is opened, and information includes location of car, tyre pressure, or if the doors are locked or not. Owner can use the remote app to directly lock or unlock doors, turn on ignition and switch on the air-conditioner. This is very useful in extreme weather conditions of India. It would also allow owners to schedule a service and keep track of service history.
For safety, iSMART ensures that customers remain protected against advanced threats while enjoying the benefits of technology. MG car owners can locate their cars remotely and geo fence it, so the car cannot be taken out of a predefined zone, thus enhancing the safety of the passengers. The App uses driver analytics data to help people drive smarter. The iSMART is hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud providing impregnable cyber security for all data.
MG has set up a first of its kind customer management service centre called the Pulse Hub. This will enable eCall emergency response in all MG cars. If a car’s airbags are deployed under an emergency condition, automatic messages are sent to the Pulse Hub and the registered phones along with a series of emergency response actions that get activated instantly. MG hector also offers an industry first iCall. With just a touch on the Screen, driver is connected to Pulse Hub for a host of information services.
Adobe and Cognizant have partnered with MG to develop the first ever Adobe Experience Cloud to make the customer journey a delight for MG customers. Likewise, SAP with iTelligence has built one of its kind Dealer Management System – ‘Magnet’, and connected apps. This system would host all information from company, dealers, service centres and customers at one place. This would make sure the customer can seamlessly be recognised and offered services at pre-sales, sales and post sales phases.
