Samsung Electronics has expanded its partnership with Kia Corporation, integrating SmartThings Pro—its enterprise management platform—into Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicles (PBV) initiative. The agreement, signed at Kia EV Day in Spain, builds on an existing collaboration with Hyundai Motor and Kia established in September last year.
SmartThings Pro, a business-focused extension of Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem, facilitates energy efficiency and connected space management by linking various devices across residential, office, and commercial environments. The integration with Kia’s PBVs aims to provide business customers with greater operational convenience and efficiency.
Chanwoo Park, Executive Vice President of Samsung’s B2B Integrated Offering Center, stated that the collaboration seeks to create “an intelligent new way for businesses to be connected to their customers.” The technology enables optimised store management solutions tailored to small business owners and self-employed professionals.
With this integration, business operators can synchronise their Kia PBVs with external facilities, automating routine processes such as climate control, digital signage, and connected appliances. This functionality is particularly beneficial for self-employed individuals managing retail spaces, as well as for operators of unmanned stores or shared lodgings who require remote oversight of multiple locations.
Samsung and Kia’s partnership reflects a broader industry trend of integrating smart technologies into commercial vehicle ecosystems, aiming to enhance efficiency and automation for small business owners.
