Novi, Mich. –
Hyundai will step up competition with the mobile electronics aftermarket
beginning mid-June when it begins to roll out its
.
The Blue Link
features include remote door locking from a smartphone app, stolen-vehicle
recovery service, traffic-reporting service and voice-activated
points-of-interest search.
Remote starting
from a smartphone app will be added at a later date.
Other features
include stolen-vehicle slowdown and engine immobilization, location sharing
with social networks, automatic crash notification, emergency button to summon
help, voice-enabled text messaging, and turn-by-turn navigation with audible
and visual prompts in vehicles that do not have onboard navigation systems.
Blue Link will
debut mid-June on the 2012 Sonata sedan and, in the fall, in the youth-oriented
Veloster coupe. Hyundai said it expects Blue Link to be available in the
majority of its U.S. lineup by 2013.
Three services packages will be offered with
one-, two- and three-year service agreements. With one-year agreement, the
packages will range in price from $79 to $279. Packages with three-year
agreements will range in price from $198 to $699 for all three years combined. Blue
Link services will be standard on all Blue Link-equipped models for a free
trial period of six months for the base package and for three months for the
two step-up packages.
Other features
include Geo-Fence, which sends a notification if a vehicle is driven outside
prescribed borders or time periods. Alerts are sent via email, text or
automated phone message.
A dedicated SOS button is available to alert
response coordinators who help coordinate emergency assistance. A single button
press also summons roadside assistance through a response center. Remote door
locking/unlocking and horn honking/light flashing can be controlled from smartphone
app, toll-free number or personal website. Remote starting would also be
enabled through these three methods.
A speed-alert
feature notifies subscribers via email, text message or automated phone message
when their vehicle exceeds a specified speed threshold. And a valet alert sends
a text or phone-message alerts if a valet driver takes a customer’s vehicle beyond
a prescribed region.
