MG Motor showcases iSMART Next Gen for Connected Mobility

British Automaker MG Motor (Morris Garages) launched its iSMART Next Gen technology for connected mobility, developed in partnership with global technology players. The MG Hector, which will be on sale by June this year, will feature this technology.

MG Motors, along with a consortium of tech partners (Microsoft, Adobe, Unlimit, SAP, Cisco, Gaana, TomTom and Nuance), showcased several features of internet-enabled cars that will be available in the MG Hector in Delhi today.

“The integration of internet with cars opens up a gamut of features that can ensure a seamless and updated ownership experience for MG customers in India. With an embedded SIM card and OTA, the MG Hector promises to do a lot more over time with constantly-expanding capabilities, to create a seamless driving experience, throughout the life of the car,” said Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India. “Furthermore, with the advent of 5G connectivity in India, MG cars will have the potential to add new, breakthrough features to further enrich the car driving experience.”

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 a touch or voice command. It comes pre-loaded with entertainment content.

MG Hector iSMART Next Gen comes with an 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 enables 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. Over The Air (OTA) feature would be standard in all MG cars enabled with iSMART Next Gen for connected mobility, starting with MG Hector SUV.

MG Hector’s Voice Assist works on the cloud and head unit. Developed by Nuance for MG India, it has been specifically designed 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 sun roof, ac control, navigation etc. and is intended to work even with poor connectivity.

iSMART comes with pre-embedded, relevant web applications. It will house Tom Tom’s real time navigation application. TomTom has over 600 million vehicles under their platform. This navigation system would regularly update maps, routes and locations through their IQ Maps feature. Pre-loaded Gaana app with Premium Account and Accuweather will provide access to music and weather forecasts. All apps have been specially customized for MG Hector’s large Head Unit.

“TomTom IQ Maps are designed specifically for the embedded system — taking the same up-to-date user experience drivers expect from navigation apps; and bringing it to reliable, accurate in-car navigation. We’re thrilled that MG India is our first launch customer, and it’s fantastic to see that they are revealing their new vehicle’s connected technology platform before they even unveil the vehicle itself. This underlines the importance of a technology-first approach to the car of today,” said Antoine Saucier, Managing Director, TomTom Automotive.

The iSMART Next Gen is supported by the iSMART mobile App. 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. It would also allow owners to schedule a service and keep track of service history.

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.

MG has set up a 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.

Adobe and Cognizant have partnered MG to develop an Adobe Experience Cloud to make the customer journey a delight for MG customers. Likewise, SAP with iTelligence has built a 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.