Kia Announces New Software Updates For EV6 And Niro

The carmaker has announced a number of enhancements for its vehicles, which will be available as a free software upgrade. The inclusion of EV route planning is the most notable enhancement.

The most recent software update, which has been distributed to the EV6 and brand-new Niro EV fleets, improves the overall driving experience of Kia's electric vehicles, adding convenience and comfort.

The updated navigation system detects charging stations along the route and automatically adds them as waypoints. This enables drivers to embark on long journeys without worry, even if their battery is low on charge. If the system detects that the remaining battery level is insufficient to reach the destination, it alerts the driver and suggests nearby charging stations. If necessary, the vehicle will initiate the battery conditioning procedure automatically to optimise the charging process.

The suggested route is calculated using an algorithm that considers a variety of factors, such as the battery's state of charge, real-time Charging POI (points of interest) data, and current energy consumption, which is influenced by external factors such as topography, weather conditions, traffic, and the driver's style and mode of operation.

This update ensures that EV planning information is preserved even if the server routing is switched to embedded routing due to network issues. In such cases, the system will recalculate the route using the previously provided recommended EV POI and distance information. When the CCS mode is reactivated, all relevant data will be updated in real time.