Hyundai Bluelink system announced for Australia

Hyundai Australia has announced its upcoming smartphone connectivity system, which is poised to allow control of everything from remote locking to climate control and EV charge schedules.

Dubbed Bluelink, it will make its first appearance in the MY23 Palisade, due to hit Aussie shores in the third quarter of 2022. The app-based system will be subsequently rolled out across the full Hyundai range, with a five-year Bluelink subscription bundled in with every car sold.

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At its simplest, Hyundai says Bluelink ensures the car is “safe, healthy, and ready to go.” Basic functions include monitoring of tyre pressures, brakes, and airbags, alongside remote starting. Remote door locking and window controls are available too, protected by a PIN system or biometric scanning.

Hyundai also touts real-time navigation via ‘Connected Routing’, using an inbuilt SIM and cloud-based server instead of traditional internal sat-nav. ‘Last Mile Navigation’ allows a driver to transfer directions from car to app to provide on-foot assistance via augmented reality or Google Maps. Other functions include a ‘find my car’ option and saveable trip summaries, and voice recognition for climate controls.

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Bluelink manages the Palisade's SOS button for 24/7 assistance. It also controls automatic emergency calling when an airbag is deployed, plus optional geofencing and time fencing to control where and when the car can be driven.

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‘Valet Mode’ allows owners to see the car’s status, while also limiting the driver’s access to the infotainment system. Where installed, Hyundai’s four-camera surround-view monitoring is accessible via the app.

Owners of electrified Hyundais can start, stop and schedule charging via the app, and change climate control settings remotely.

Settings are transferable between cars and stored in the cloud, with connectivity managed by scanning the its inbuilt QR code using the Bluelink app.

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Hyundai has yet to reveal its subscription or pricing model for Bluelink, though it has confirmed any remaining balance held by an owner can either be retained or transferred if the car is sold.

First introduced in to the US market in 2012, Bluelink is the successor to Hyundai’s older Auto Link technology, which was discontinued in Australian-delivered cars in July 2020.