Genesis EVs miss out on OTA power boosts

Korean luxury brand Genesis appears years away from offering its customers the ability to buy over-the-air (OTA) power and performance updates for its new stable of electric vehicles in Australia.

That means Genesis will lag EV specialists Tesla and Polestar, which already offer such a capability, as well as fellow members of the Hyundai Motor Group, Kia and Hyundai.

Hyundai Motor Group telematics systems are now being rolled out in Australia. The all-new Kia Niro EV is the first model to gain Kia Connect and the first Hyundai to come with Bluelink is the updated Palisade SUV.

Both Kia Connect and Bluelink are expected to offer the ability to provide OTA updates including performance boosts for EVs (basically a software retune) within 12-18 months.

The HMG telematics system is being rolled out as new-generation models arrive or are significantly updated.

So that means the three Genesis EVs introduced this month – the GV60, GV70 and G80 – are years away from significant facelifts, the introduction of telematics and therefore being able offer OTA updates for performance or other features.

That’s even if Genesis’ version of the telematics system, known as Genesis Connected Services, is introduced soon in Australia. As far as carsales is aware, it won’t be.

The lack of a telematics systems also means Genesis owners don’t have access to a smartphone app that can provide functions such as remote climate control operation, car location and collision notification to emergency services.

Most luxury car brands – and many mainstream brands – now offer owners smartphone connectivity in their cars.

Speaking at this week’s launch of the GV60 and G80 EVs, Genesis Australia boss Connal Yan said he would like telematics systems fitted to Australian cars “as soon as possible”.

“It’s very much subject to headquarters R&D and product department decisions, so it is out of our hands,” he admitted.

However, he played down the significance of not having telematics and being behind HMG’s mainstream brands in this tech.

“I don’t think this is something that is so highly critical they would not buy our cars because we have many product strings,” said Yan.

“I think our product is very much differentiated from the [HMG] siblings, so I don’t see this as losing a race.”

“We are going into a segment that is very different to what the other two are going in to.”

Over-the-air performance updates for EVs has emerged as a popular feature in recent years.

Initiated by Tesla, newcomer Polestar recently offered a $1600 upgrade for the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor that added 50kW and 20Nm, cut the 0-100km/h dash time from 4.7 to 4.4 seconds and boosted mid-range acceleration. The company says it has been well received in Australia.

“Tesla and Polestar, strictly speaking for what they are selling in the market today, I do not see them as a very direct competitor … If you look at where our cars are priced and where their cars are priced,” argued Yan.

The lack of telematics is not the only tech shortfall Genesis has to deal with.

While Genesis models come dripping with gear, they like every other HMG vehicle fitted with a navigation system do not have wireless smartphone connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Instead, smartphones must be cabled.

HMG cars without embedded navigation offer wireless smartphone connection.

This equipment wrinkle has been caused by a dispute between Hyundai and Apple that has been going on for some time.

“Definitely it [wireless smartphone connection] is a very useful feature but we don’t see it as a deal-breaker that stops people from buying the car,” said Yan.