- Kia continues to offer new digital features that can elevate the vehicle’s capabilities and make driving more convenient
- A POI can be any establishment with a name and location that is recognised by Google, marked on the map with up-to-date information
- Further Kia models with connected car Navigation Cockpit will receive Google POIs as a free over-the-air software update
The Kia EV4 is the brand’s first electric hatchback, designed specifically for Europe to navigate cities, cross the continent, and make electrified mobility available to more customers. Versatile and practical, the model is also highly connected – the EV4 is Kia’s first model to include Google Points of Interest (POIs) as part of the navigation system.
For many, Google is the go-to method for looking up information about places, establishments, attractions, and sights. A POI can be any establishment with a name and location that is recognised by Google and is marked as a pin on the map, along with up-to-date information. The addition of Google POIs to the EV4 navigation system enables customers to access extensive POI details, including parking, opening hours, prices, busy periods, and much more, on top of getting an improved turn-by-turn route directly to the POI.
“Offering extensive details about places through Google POIs enables customers to make informed decisions ahead of each journey and to adjust once they are on the road,” said Pablo Martinez Masip, Vice President of Product & Marketing at Kia Europe. “Places close, opening hours change, more parking is made available, and giving our customers all of this information and more on the in-car screen adds an exciting new level to navigation and the driving experience.”
Google POIs will be available in the Kia EV4 from the start of vehicle production. All other Kia models with connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) will be able to receive Google POIs as a free update this summer and all upcoming Kia models with ccNC will come with Google POIs preinstalled.
An important benefit of Google POIs is that real-time updates are made directly by users within the Google ecosystem, to continuously improve and enhance the quality of location information. This extends to including recent photos, menus, ratings, reviews, accessibility and more.