Kia has officially revealed its entire connectivity strategy at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show. The strategy, called “ACE,” aims to put a strong focus on autonomous vehicle technology, connectivity, and eco/electric platforms, hence the acronym “ACE.” These pursuits will coincide with the company’s other plan of introducing an entire model range of connected cars by the year 2030, and at least 16 electric cars by the year 2025.

A big part of that multi-level strategy rests on how Kia is able to accelerate its development in the areas it mentioned. In terms of autonomous vehicle, the plan is to roll out self-driving cars that feature level 4 autonomy by 2021. This goal goes hand-in-hand with plans to induce “Smart City” autonomous vehicle testing, which Kia also hopes to roll out by 2021.

In terms of connected services, the company’s goal is to have its entire model range adopt the technology by 2030. There’s a longer 12-year timetable to achieve that vision, and it successful, we’re going to see each Kia model become a highly connected car by the time 2030 rolls around. When that time comes, Kia also hopes to have all of its cars carrying eco/electric powertrains. That includes hybrids, EVs, and even fuel-cell EVs.

Kia’s plan to push for these technologies comes at a time when just about every automaker is doing the same thing. Dr. Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of the Kia R&D Center, says it’s become imperative for Kia to go all-in with the development of these technologies. "Virtual reality, self-driving cars, and ‘vehicle-to-everything’ connectivity were all once considered technologies of the distant future," he said. "As they rapidly become a reality, Kia is exploring how to deploy these new technologies for its customers. Our strategy and vision for future mobility (are) demonstrated by a range of interactive displays, showing what our customers can look forward to."

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