New Pleos Connect Infotainment System with Gleo AI Voice Assistant Coming to Hyundai, Kia, Genesis Cars

Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled its next-generation AI-enhanced car infotainment system, called Pleos Connect. The company says it is “designed to fundamentally transform the customer mobility experience”. The platform will be used across Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models around the world, starting with the Hyundai Grandeur luxury sedan in South Korea, launching in May, and the just-announced Ioniq 3 hatchback in Europe.

The Pleos Connect platform is a major part of Hyundai Motor Group’s efforts to develop software-defined vehicles that offer the modern features and user experiences that buyers expect. A key capability is over-the-air updates which the company says will be used to roll out continuous performance improvements and new features. The system also includes Gleo AI, a new voice assistant that promises context-aware interactions.

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.

Pleos Connect allows for multiple displays. The primary infotainment screen will have a wide aspect ratio with three vertical sections. The panel closest to the driver shows a 3D ADAS view of cars, people and objects around the car, plus essential driver information such as speed and warning lights. The rest of the screen is used for apps. In an example, the company shows a split view with a large map for navigation, plus media controls. This is also where third-party apps will run. There’s also a single screen mode for immersive content. A bar running across the bottom of the screen allows quick access to essential controls as well as recently used and pinned apps.

In addition, a slim drivers’ display positioned directly in front of the steering wheel shows key information such as speed and turn-by-turn directions, directly in their line of sight to reduce distractions. The company says this setup improves driver safety. Physical buttons on the steering wheel and below the primary screen also reduce distraction. Three‑finger gestures let drivers instantly reposition or dismiss content on the screen.

Gleo AI can be used to control vehicle functions such as navigation and climate control, and can be integrated with third-party apps and future services. It allows natural-language commands such as “find a restaurant near here” and understands context such as the car’s current location. Multiple instructions can be chained in a single voice prompt. Users can request information from the car’s manual as well as perform Web searches. Zone-specific voice recognition means Gleo AI understands where in the car a speaker is sitting, to perform actions such as “turn on my heated seat” for individual occupants. Conversations are stored and retrievable through a dedicated app.

Hyundai promises an open app ecosystem and marketplace. The company hosted a Pleos Developer Conference last year, and is committed to offering open APIs allowing third-party developers to integrate their apps and services. Gaming, entertainment and vehicle management services are planned for the future. Interestingly, the company says users will not need to connect a smartphone to use several key functions.

Approximately 20 million cars across the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands will ship with Pleos Connect by 2030.