SKT's 'AI Assistant' Equipped Volvo New Car Unveiled

2022 Model New Cars
Voice-Based IVI 'NUGU Auto' Installed
Supports Navigation and Music Playback

Solving Chronic Navigation Weakness
Intense Competition in Vehicle Infotainment
"Meaningful Collaboration Between OEMs and Telecoms"

The image model is the 2021 Volvo mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) 'XC60'.

[Asia Economy Reporters Minyoung Cha, Gimin Lee] "Aria, guide me to the destination."

A new Volvo car equipped with SK Telecom’s artificial intelligence (AI) assistant ‘NUGU’ for vehicles will be unveiled next week. This marks a new horizon in the mobility industry as the interests of imported car manufacturers aiming to address navigation weaknesses and telecom companies leading mobility technology in the autonomous driving era align.

According to the ICT and automotive industries on the 6th, Volvo Korea plans to announce on the 14th of this month that it will install SK Telecom’s integrated in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) service ‘NUGU AUTO’ in some 2022 Volvo models. Based on AI technology, voice commands will also be available for navigation via ‘T map Auto’ and the music platform ‘Flo’. Although the announcement was initially expected in the second half of this year, this is the first time a specific date has been set.

The models expected to be equipped include the mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) ‘XC60’, the large sedan ‘S90’, and the cross-country ‘V90CC’. A Volvo Korea official said, "The models have not been decided yet and are under final review," withholding further details.

The navigation system has long been considered a chronic weakness of imported cars. Even if the vehicle itself is satisfactory, system instability and map completeness issues have been stumbling blocks. Volvo has also used the original navigation system based on the database (DB) of the global map company HERE Technologies, but it has been criticized for not being suitable for Korean roads or environments. An industry insider said, "If T map is applied, it is expected that cases where commands are not recognized will decrease compared to existing AI systems that awkwardly apply Korean."

In August, Volvo Korea also obtained special approval from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for an OTA (Over-The-Air) service that allows direct updates of automotive electronic control unit software via wireless communication. Vehicle owners will be able to update anytime and anywhere through the infotainment screen or a mobile phone app.

SK Telecom is also expected to take a step ahead in the vehicle infotainment market competition ahead of the autonomous driving era. Samsung Electronics entered the automotive electronics business by acquiring Harman in 2017, and LG Electronics has announced the vehicle infotainment sector as its next growth engine. Hyundai Motor Company is also developing its own operating system (OS) to enhance its infotainment capabilities and has formed content partnerships with companies like Naver. Strengthening its 탈 (?) telecommunications strategy, SK Telecom continues to invest to widen the technology gap before the related autonomous vehicle market fully opens.

Professor Hyuncheol Shim of the Department of Electrical Engineering at KAIST said, "IVI system collaboration is a meaningful attempt for both the complete vehicle industry and the telecommunications industry. However, due to the complex characteristics of the Korean language structure, AI voice recognition issues and communication interference factors during road driving require continuous technological development and improvement."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.