Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. formed a partnership with the mobile telecom service provider Vodafone to collaborate in telematics and related fields, the South Korean carmakers announced on Monday.
Based in London, Vodafone is the world’s largest mobile telecom service provider in terms of revenue.
Telematics, which combines telecommunications with informatics, is applied to a range of onboard equipment including navigation systems.
The three companies will collaborate in providing telematics services in Europe and to develop new automotive IT business models under the agreement, Hyundai said in a press release.
According to the carmakers, the partnership will allow them to secure advanced technologies in automotive IT, and open business opportunities in related fields.
“Hyundai and Kia will use the establishment of a partnership with Vodafone to improve (the companies’) brand image in the field of automotive IT,” the company said in the statement.
By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
