Hyundai Motor vehicles to support Melon, Kakao Navi without smartphone connection

Hyundai Motor Group vehicles are moving closer to a smartphone-like experience, letting drivers download and run their preferred applications directly from the car — no phone connection required. Drivers can now stream music through Melon or get turn-by-turn directions via Kakao Navi straight from the vehicle's display.

42dot, Hyundai Motor Group's global software center, announced Monday that it has added seven new apps to the app market of Pleos Connect, the next-generation infotainment system. Combined with existing titles, the total number of apps available in South Korea now stands at 18.

The Pleos Connect app market is a platform that lets drivers download third-party services beyond the features a carmaker provides as standard. Apps can be installed and launched directly on the vehicle's large display without pairing a smartphone.

The seven new additions span two categories: three mapping and navigation apps, and four music and audio apps.

On the navigation side, the lineup gains Kakao Navi alongside What3words, a location-based service, and Make My Day – Route Planner, which supports electric vehicle routing. The music and audio additions include Melon, South Korea's leading music streaming service, as well as Radioline, RadioAuto and Pickl.

Melon carries over each user's personalized recommendations and playlists into the vehicle. Kakao Navi has been adapted with a vehicle-optimized user interface, making the transition straightforward for drivers already familiar with the smartphone app.

The core aim of the expansion is to close the gap between the in-car and smartphone experience, allowing drivers to use the apps they rely on daily without any additional learning curve.

The app market is currently available on Hyundai Motor models equipped with Pleos Connect, including The New Grandeur and The All-New Avante. As the system rolls out to more models, access to the app market will expand accordingly.

Pleos Connect is the next-generation in-vehicle operating environment Hyundai Motor Group developed as part of its shift toward software-defined vehicles. Rather than locking navigation and entertainment features in place at the time of manufacture, the platform is designed to allow new apps and services to be added after a vehicle leaves the factory.

The platform is also open to outside developers. 42dot provides vehicle application programming interfaces and development tools through its developer platform, Pleos Playground, enabling third-party companies to adapt existing mobile services for the automotive environment or build vehicle-specific services from scratch.

Looking ahead, the company plans to expand the app catalog beyond music and navigation into categories such as games, vehicle management and lifestyle. The broader vision is to turn the vehicle itself into a digital platform and build an ecosystem in which outside developers and service providers can participate.

"We will continue to grow the range of services available in the app market by expanding partnerships with domestic and international companies," a 42dot official said.