A 5G network has not even been fully implemented for consumer use on smartphones (yet), but Kia is already working on using it to connect with its vehicles. In addition to showing off a battery-electric version of the Niro, Kia will have a spate of future-tech announcements and demonstrations at CES in Las Vegas this week, including a presentation of what it’s calling the world’s first 5G-connected vehicle.
Kia has a grand plan for the upcoming decade. It claims its entire model range will be flush with connected cars by 2030, that it will have 16 electrified (hybrid, electric, and fuel-cell) vehicles by 2025, and it will have Level 4 autonomy ready for testing by 2021. It also intends to expand its car-sharing service, launched in 2017 in Korea and called WiBLE (short for “widely accessible”), to other parts of the world, starting in Europe. Central to the success of Kia’s ambitious future plans will be the strength of its network connections, which is why the automaker is already looking to the next generation of broadband technology. Currently, some vehicles and all smartphones pair to 3G and 4G networks, but 5G wireless connectivity promises to be faster and stronger and cover more area. But it’s not quite ready for production just yet.

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