Dive Brief:
- The 2027 Hyundai Tucson SUV will be the first vehicle sold in the U.S. to feature the new Pleos Connect infotainment platform, Hyundai Motor America announced in an Oct. 1 press release.
- Pleos Connect was designed to deliver a more intuitive, safe and personalized in-vehicle experience, according to Hyundai. In addition to its more driver-friendly interface and advanced navigation capabilities, the infotainment system features Hyundai’s new Gleo AI in-vehicle agent and an open app ecosystem allowing drivers to download apps to their vehicles.
- “Pleos Connect represents a fundamental shift in how customers experience their vehicles over time,” said Eric Wood, SVP of product experience at Hyundai’s software subsidiary 42dot. “Built on a software-defined vehicle architecture, Pleos Connect is designed to enable continuous value evolution through over-the-air updates, advanced AI capabilities and an open ecosystem that allows new services and experiences to be added throughout the vehicle's lifecycle.”
Dive Insight:
Pleos Connect is based on Google’s open Android Automotive OS that’s available to OEMs. Hyundai said it is built around three core principles — intuitiveness, safety and openness. It’s available for Hyundai vehicles in the U.S. equipped with 17-inch or 12.9-inch touchscreen displays.
The platform moves Hyundai’s previous infotainment architecture to an operating system designed to support native applications, OTA software updates and connected services. The infotainment system was developed from user experience research and data analysis and is intended to make vehicle interactions simpler and more intuitive, per Hyundai.
Hyundai said the launch of Pleos Connect in the U.S. in the new Tucson is a major step towards its transition to software-defined vehicles. At the automaker’s 2026 CEO Investor Day presentation in August, Hyundai Motor Group announced it was building a “data flywheel” to enhance its software-defined vehicle capabilities.
“Rather than viewing the vehicle as a product that is complete at delivery, we see it as a platform that can adapt, improve and become more personalized over time,” said Wood.
The company said it will continuously collect and analyze data from its global fleet of future vehicles equipped with the Pleos Connect and Gleo AI to deliver over-the-air updates and new infotainment experiences. Hyundai said it plans to deploy Pleos Connect in approximately 20 million vehicles by 2030. The Tucson is Hyundai’s top-selling vehicle in the U.S.
Pleos Connect also supports smartphone integration with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with access to supported phone-based apps and services from the infotainment display. Pleos Connect also includes Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.
Built-in Gleo AI voice assistant
Gleo AI in-vehicle assistant is one of the most prominent features of Pleos Connect. The AI-powered technology is supported by a large language model rather than simply responding to predefined voice commands. It’s designed to understand conversational natural-language requests and interpret user intent. It can also process and support multi-command interactions, per Hyundai.
Using the Gleo AI assistant, drivers can search for destinations and request route guidance through natural-language conversation. It can interpret the context of a request, then assist with destination selection and navigation.
Gleo AI also can access vehicle-specific information to help drivers with the features and functions of their vehicles using voice commands, including climate controls and access to the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
Using the Gleo AI assistant, drivers can search for destinations and request route guidance through natural-language conversation. Gleo AI also can access vehicle-specific information like climate controls or the owner’s manual to help drivers with the features and functions of their vehicles using voice commands.
Navigation System embedded with Here Maps and Google Places
The customizable, large-screen interface of Pleos Connect offers navigation with Here Maps and Google Places using real-time mapping and routing data. In the U.S., preinstalled map data in Pleos Connect helps to provide navigation services in areas with limited data connectivity.
The navigation system also supports both portrait and landscape modes and allows for simultaneous use of compatible apps on the same screen. Hyundai designers added floating information cards to provide drivers with route details without obstructing the map.
The Pleos App Market
The built-in Pleos App Market in Pleos Connect brings native, vehicle-optimized apps directly to the 2027 Tucson’s infotainment system. Downloaded apps run on the Android Automotive OS-based platform, which supports a growing ecosystem of entertainment, lifestyle, productivity, mobility and vehicle-related services, per Hyundai.
Individual apps can be updated independently of any infotainment software updates delivered OTA by Hyundai. Among the offerings, the Pleos App Market offers streaming music and video-sharing apps. Hyundai is also developing an API for developers to create third-party apps for vehicles running Pleos Connect, each of which will undergo thorough cybersecurity and verification processes before being made available in the App Market.
Hyundai said additional details regarding availability, specifications, connectivity requirements and model-specific features of Pleos Connect for the next-generation Tucson will be announced closer to its launch date.
