Hyundai Motor Group redefines in-vehicle experience with ‘Pleos Connect’ next-generation infotainment system

• Pleos Connect, a next-generation infotainment system, will launch in May as Hyundai Motor Group’s first Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) transition deliverable
• The system will debut on Hyundai Motor’s new GRANDEUR in Korea, followed by a phased global rollout; IONIQ 3 first European model to feature Pleos Connect
• By 2030, the Group aims to deploy Pleos Connect in approximately 20 million Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis vehicles
• Its intuitive UX combines a central widescreen, a slim forward display and physical buttons for convenient and safe vehicle control
• The advanced navigation system offers intuitive, data-driven route guidance with online maps, seamlessly integrating with Gleo AI
• Gleo AI, an integrated agent powered by a large language model, enables voice control for vehicle functions, route assistance and information searches
• The App Market provides an open ecosystem for music, video and web browsing, extending the mobile experience into the car

SEOUL, April 29, 2026 – Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) today unveiled Pleos Connect, a next-generation in-vehicle infotainment system designed to fundamentally transform the customer mobility experience.

As the first major step in the Group’s transformation into a software-centric mobility leader, Pleos Connect is built on three core development pillars—intuitiveness, safety, and openness—to combine a mobile-friendly user environment with advanced artificial intelligence (AI), creating a highly scalable and intuitive platform. The system will receive continuous feature and performance enhancements via over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

The system will debut on the new GRANDEUR in Korea in May, followed by a phased global rollout, including the recently unveiled IONIQ 3 in Europe. The Group aims to equip approximately 20 million Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis vehicles with Pleos Connect by 2030, reinforcing its leadership in future mobility solutions.

“Pleos Connect is a next-generation infotainment system that offers customers an elevated mobility experience by combining a mobile-friendly platform with advanced AI technology. With the new Gleo AI and an open app market, users will experience the limitless potential of future mobility.” – Jongwon Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of the Feature & CCS Sub-Division at Hyundai Motor Group.

The production-ready system debuted at a media event at UX Studio Seoul on April 29. It represents the mass-production version of the research and development concept first unveiled at the Group’s Pleos 25 developer conference in 2025.

How Does Pleos Connect Create an Intuitive and Safe Cockpit?

The design of Pleos Connect is centered on intuitiveness and simplicity, featuring a combination of touch and physical controls for convenient and seamless operation. The system’s user experience (UX), developed through extensive research into driver behavior by the Group’s UX Studios in Seoul, Irvine, Frankfurt and Shanghai, mirrors the familiarity of a mobile device to enhance ease of use and minimize driver distraction.

The Pleos Connect cockpit features two main displays:

• Large Central Screen: A wide-view display divided into three main sections.
  • The Driving Information Screen shows essential data including speed and warning lights, along with 3D graphics of surrounding objects and people.
  • The App Screen is used for navigation, media and third-party applications. It can be switched between the Single Screen mode for immersive content, and the Split Screen for multitasking.
  • The Bottom Bar provides one-tap access to recently used or pinned apps.
• Slim Display: Positioned directly in front of the driver to keep the driver’s focus forward, the display presents key information like speed, media and turn-by-turn directions directly in their line of sight.

Driver safety is enhanced through the inclusion of physical buttons on the steering wheel and below the Large Central Screen, allowing quick access to key controls without using the touchscreen. In addition, a three‑finger gesture allows drivers to easily reposition app windows or instantly close unnecessary apps, supporting safer and more convenient interaction with in‑vehicle applications.

“Pleos Connect is a platform born from our deep commitment to understanding customers’ mobility experiences. Even after launch, we will continue to listen closely to diverse customer voices and strive to design in-vehicle experiences that further enrich the value of mobility.” – Changsub Kim, Senior Research Engineer, UX Strategy Team at Hyundai Motor Group.

What Improvements Have Been Made to Navigation with Pleos Connect?

The Group has significantly advanced the navigation system in Pleos Connect to be more convenient, efficient, and less complex.

• Data-Driven Layout: By analyzing big data from existing navigation users, the screen layout and menus have been reorganized around core, high-frequency functions. Complex graphics have been reduced in favor of simple icons to enhance at-a-glance visibility.
• Modular Interface: The navigation screen is no longer fixed. Drivers can freely configure the layout, allowing them to run navigation and another app simultaneously on the large display. Important information like the full route and estimated time of arrival (ETA) are shown in floating cards for more intuitive recognition.
• Real-Time Route Guidance: The navigation provides accurate and fast route guidance based on real-time traffic data collected from vehicles. It uses a live online map to constantly update road information and guide the customer to the optimal route.

“Navigation delivers a better mobility experience when complexity is reduced. Guided by this philosophy, the Pleos Connect navigation system has been newly designed to be easy and intuitive for everyone to use, enabling our customers to enjoy an even more convenient and seamless journey.” – Hanna Yun, Research Engineer, Navigation Development Team at Hyundai Motor Group.

What Is Gleo AI and How Does It Work?

At the heart of Pleos Connect is Gleo AI, an advanced voice assistant built on a large language model (LLM). The Group plans to continuously advance its Gleo AI system even after its initial integration into mass-produced models. Currently, Gleo AI’s operations are centered on vehicle control and convenience features. However, the system is scheduled to be linked with a variety of application services in the future. This integration will enable customers to seamlessly and naturally use a wide range of app functions with voice commands alone. Furthermore, the Group intends to accelerate the development of related technologies to empower Gleo AI to provide personalized services tailored to individual driver characteristics.

• Context-Aware: Gleo AI uses conversational and driving context to accurately interpret abstract commands like “navigate there” or “find a restaurant near here.”
• Multi-Command Processing: It can recognize and execute multiple commands within a single request.
• Web Searches: It can also respond to user questions on topics such as the news, weather and sports through web searches
• Integrated Vehicle Control: Users can manage navigation, adjust climate settings and access vehicle manual information using natural language.
• Zone-Specific Recognition: The system can identify the speaker’s location within the cabin to execute precise commands, such as “turn on my heated seat.”
• Gleo AI Application: Users can check conversations with Gleo AI in text through a dedicated application.

“Gleo AI is an intelligent AI agent that engages in natural conversation like a companion in the passenger seat, understanding user intent and making holistic, context‑aware judgments. Going forward, Gleo AI will continue to evolve with more advanced personalized services, helping deliver a more enjoyable and convenient mobility experience for customers.” – Jongho Lee, Team Lead of the Gleo AI Group at 42dot.

How Does the App Market Create an Open Ecosystem?

Pleos Connect introduces the App Market, an open platform for third-party services that extends the user experience far beyond driving.

• Seamless Integration: The market enables a connected in-car experience that mirrors the user’s mobile life, with initial partners including NAVER for maps and auto services.
• Rich Media Content: Services such as YouTube, Spotify, essential; and genie are available directly from the system without needing a smartphone connection.
• Future Expansion: The group plans to expand offerings to include gaming, entertainment, and vehicle management services through external partnerships.
• Developer Collaboration: The ‘Pleos Playground’ platform provides developers with the APIs and tools needed to create and launch new services for the ecosystem.

“The App Market is a creative platform where any developer can completely reshape the paradigm of the mobility experience. We look forward to redefining the future of mobility together through the participation of various developers worldwide.” – Cheehyung Yoon, Group Lead of the Pleos Playground Group at 42dot.

Pleos Connect marks Hyundai Motor Group’s first tangible step toward a SDV architecture, enabling a fundamentally new in-vehicle experience while reinforcing the Group’s transition into a software-driven mobility technology company. In the long term, the Group aims to expand beyond SDVs toward Artificial Intelligence–Defined Vehicles (AIDVs) for the next phase of intelligent mobility by enhancing the vehicle-human interaction through the personalized AI voice assistant in the Pleos Connect.