At the 2025 Kia EV Day event held in Spain, South Korean companies Kia and Samsung unveiled their partnership aimed at advancing Internet of Things (IoT) technologies within the automotive sector. The collaboration, documented through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marks significant progress for Kia, as the company plans to start integrating its purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) with Samsung’s AI-powered IoT platform, known as SmartThings Pro.
The commercial rollout of this integration is planned for mid-2026, following preliminary trials. Starting with its PV5 model, Kia will incorporate the SmartThings Pro platform to boost business mobility, enhancing connectivity between its vehicles and various commercial operations to increase efficiency and streamline workflows. Within the framework of this partnership, the two companies will execute tests across multiple use cases, following the successful completion of a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) phase.
During the PoC, owners of Kia’s PBVs demonstrated the capability to remotely manage their Samsung smart appliances directly from their vehicles using the vehicles’ infotainment systems or tablets connected to the PBVs. One of the modifications includes the introduction of “work mode,” which allows users to pre-set their working environment by remotely activating air conditioning units and visual signage before their arrival. Conversely, the “closing mode” functionality sent remote alerts to owners to turn off appliances and activate security monitoring systems, providing real-time updates on equipment malfunctions.
This model of operational flexibility could greatly benefit various industries, including unmanned guesthouses and laundromats, enabling them to manage daily operations more effectively right from their vehicles.
“With SmartThings Pro, B2B customers will gain centralized control over both their stores and vehicles,” stated Park Chan-woo, Vice President of Samsung’s B2B Integrated Offering Center. He emphasized the goal of this partnership as one to expand AI-driven B2B solutions and leverage Kia’s extensive automotive expertise.
This cooperative effort follows previous collaborations among key players, including Hyundai, Samsung, and Kia, aimed at pushing the boundaries of technology integration within the automotive industry.
Shifting focus to the broader technology segment, Deutsche Telekom’s international system integration division, T-Systems, has announced its own partnerships for creating digital transformation solutions. Working alongside consultancy firm Drees & Sommer, T-Systems recently launched initiatives utilizing the metaverse and digital twin technologies aimed at key industrial scenarios. This project plans to leverage Nvidia’s Omniverse, intended for enterprise applications, to establish digital replicas of real-world industrial settings.
According to Christian Hort, T-Systems executive, the newly introduced platform is expected to significantly boost operational efficiency and transparency across various sectors, and manufacturers will be able to digitally replicate their equipment and systems with advanced monitoring capabilities. “This enables internal and external teams to work faster and more efficiently,” he mentioned.
With these developments, advanced monitoring systems and economic advantages emerge, benefiting compliance with regulatory standards and facilitating cost reductions across manufacturing operations. Insights from the initiative have already yielded improvements within the automotive sector, and T-Systems believes the technology shows the potential for expansion within other industries.
Meanwhile, blockchain technology's significance continues to gain traction within the automotive sector. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently began employing blockchain for the storage of car titles, enhancing transparency and security across the market. Research conducted by Report Prime indicates the potential valuation of blockchain within the automotive sector could reach $160 million by the end of the decade, underlining the increasing importance of digital security as self-driving cars gain popularity.
Turning back to the advancements of Huawei, the tech giant showcased 83 global projects dedicated to accelerating intelligent transformation for various industries during the MWC Barcelona 2025 event. Huawei introduced 10 major solutions developed with industry partners to optimize intelligent transformation across sectors including public service, finance, and retail.
Leo Chen, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President, stressed the necessity of integrating technology within industry scenarios to achieve comprehensive digital transformation. Emphasizing Huawei’s commitment to tailoring solutions, he revealed the company has established eight integrated teams dedicated to enhancing industrial efficiency through technology.
Having transformed over 20,000 global enterprises, Huawei has developed the RAAS target architecture to meet the unique needs of banking. The architecture intends to provide operational reliability, availability, autonomy, and security standards, collectively achieving the ambitious goal of eliminating data loss across banking systems.
One financial institution benefited significantly from Huawei’s resilient data center solution based on the RAAS framework, witnessing improvements such as tripling system performance and achieving over 40% growth in annual transactions with no occurrences of data loss.
Huawei looks to bolster industry digitalization and AI advancements, allowing it to meld cutting-edge technology with specific industrial applications.
An exemplary case of Huawei’s initiative is the smart village site launched with Zambia's Ministry of Technology and Science, featuring sustainable infrastructure with solar power systems, communications towers, and educational technology, aimed at empowering the local community.
Conclusively, as 2025 progresses, melding IoT and AI technologies seamlessly within operational frameworks across diverse industries showcases the joint efforts of firms like Kia, Samsung, Huawei, and others, effectively transforming and elevifying how business operations function worldwide.