Hyundai's Blue Link: 10 Years of Free Safety!

This post was written with a modest fee provided by Hyundai Motor Company.

The Blue Link Lite

The era of electric vehicles is arriving rapidly, isn’t it? Just a few years ago, we thought it was too early for widespread adoption due to the high costs of experimental electric vehicles and a lack of charging infrastructure. Now, however, we see a variety of models that offer competitive pricing and high product quality.

However, is it still too early for electric vehicles? Many people hesitate due to the inconvenience of charging and issues like battery fires. Since safety is a primary concern, I agree that we need to address these issues when considering electric vehicles.

So today, I want to discuss Hyundai Motor's "Blue Link Lite" service. When you purchase a Hyundai electric vehicle, you receive the Blue Link service for free as a standard feature. This service includes battery monitoring, automatic airbag deployment notifications, and SOS emergency assistance, and you can use it for free for five years after purchase.

The Blue Link service not only provides monitoring for electric vehicle batteries but also allows you to control your Hyundai remotely, offers navigation assistance, streaming services, various vehicle management options, safety and security features, and digital key access. As mentioned earlier, this service is free for five years, and after that, you can convert it to a paid service for 5,500 KRW (approximately $4.50) per month with a one-year contract. The new Blue Link Lite service extends this free usage period by an additional five years, making it incredibly useful.

Notably, the battery monitoring feature within the Blue Link Lite service plays a crucial role. This feature serves as the "brain" of the battery management system (BMS), monitoring the state of charge (SoC), calculating charging and discharging currents, and controlling battery cooling. Through pre-diagnosis, it monitors every aspect of using an electric vehicle, including parking, charging, and driving. If it detects any signs of trouble, it will notify customers via text and provide emergency assistance to prevent issues like fires.

While not all electric vehicles come equipped with these safety technologies, Hyundai's electric vehicles include top-tier BMS features. They also incorporate "battery cell monitoring," which detects and diagnoses abnormalities caused by manufacturing defects, and "battery overcharge prevention technology" to avoid issues from overcharging. This battery monitoring service alerts customers via text if any abnormalities are detected, all included in the Blue Link service.

Additionally, even after the initial five years of free Blue Link service ends, the key features necessary for electric vehicle customer safety—such as battery monitoring, automatic airbag deployment notifications, and SOS emergency assistance—will continue to be provided for an additional five years. For reference, the Blue Link Lite service is automatically included for Hyundai electric vehicles released after 2021, so no separate registration is necessary. However, for models like the Ioniq Electric and Kona Electric released before 2021, customers need to consent to sign up for the Blue Link Lite service through Hyundai's customer center at 080-600-6000.

New models such as the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Ioniq 9 obviously do not require separate registration, right? For your information, the Blue Link service not only provides notifications regarding battery issues but also supports automatic accident processing in case of airbag deployment during a collision. If you press the SOS button in your vehicle, you can quickly connect with an operator for immediate assistance.

It has indeed improved significantly, hasn’t it? Initially, the Blue Link service mainly provided a separate phone function for emergency SOS connections during accidents or breakdowns. As a result, few customers opted to extend the service after the free period ended. Now, however, customers receive real-time monitoring of their battery status through the electric vehicle BMS, and they can enjoy an additional five years of free service, totaling ten years.

From the perspective of potential customers considering electric vehicles, this service is incredibly valuable. To delve deeper into battery monitoring, the system detects abnormalities or signs of defects in battery cells due to manufacturing issues and initiates protective measures step by step to ensure safety. During this pre-diagnosis process, the battery status is monitored, and data is collected through a remote support center. If any issues are detected, the Blue Link service will notify the owner via text.

Thanks to these safety features and ongoing efforts to ensure safety, Hyundai Motor Company has reported no incidents of electric vehicle fires due to battery overcharging to date. Of course, vehicle fires can occur for various environmental reasons, not just in electric vehicles, so it’s essential to maintain vigilance. However, with services that monitor vehicle status in real-time and promptly notify customers of any issues,

it seems like an essential aspect to consider when choosing an electric vehicle. This concludes our introduction to Hyundai Motor's Blue Link Lite service for electric vehicle owners. To summarize, those already driving a Hyundai electric vehicle are receiving a "5+5" ten-year free telematics service that you won't find with other brands.

For more detailed information about Hyundai Motor's battery-related safety technologies, please check out the video below.