Samsung SmartThings now lets Hyundai and Kia drivers control home from the dashboard – Automated Home

Samsung and Hyundai Motor Group have launched a new way for drivers to interact with their homes. The Car-to-Home feature, part of Samsung’s SmartThings platform, lets eligible Hyundai and Kia owners control certain devices directly from their vehicle’s infotainment screen.

This launch marks a step beyond the previous Home-to-Car system, which allowed users to control vehicle functions from their homes.

The Car-to-Home feature works with select SmartThings-compatible devices such as air conditioners, air purifiers, robot vacuum cleaners, and lights.

Drivers can trigger preset routines like Home mode or Away mode, activating multiple devices at once. For example, turning on the air conditioner before arriving home or powering down appliances while leaving.

Explore how this feature can simplify your daily routines and see which devices you can control from your car.

How does Car-to-Home work in practice?

The current release centers on preset SmartThings routines and modes, including Home mode and Away mode, rather than a broad range of per-device controls from the vehicle screen.

Drivers can connect their vehicle to the SmartThings account by scanning a QR code displayed on the infotainment screen. Once connected, routines can be customized to respond automatically to the car’s location or the time of day.

Routines can be particularly useful for managing energy. A driver leaving home can activate Away mode to switch off lights, shut down appliances, and start the robot vacuum.

On the way home, Home mode can switch on devices such as the air conditioner, air purifier, and lights to prepare the house before arrival. These routines are designed to make everyday home management more seamless.

Which vehicles are eligible

Samsung and Hyundai are limiting the first rollout to Hyundai and Kia vehicles built after November 2022. Eligible vehicles must support the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit infotainment platform.

Little‑known fact: Official automaker lists include models like the updated Hyundai Grandeur, Santa Fe, Ioniq 5, K5, Sorento, and EV9 as compatible with Car‑to‑Home.

Samsung says support will expand through future software updates for additional compatible vehicles. Samsung’s current launch materials describe the service for Hyundai Bluelink and Kia Connect vehicles using the ccNC platform, while earlier Hyundai statements said the companies planned overseas expansion.

The companies have not published a detailed market-by-market rollout schedule in the launch materials reviewed.

What devices can you control?

The current Car-to-Home launch supports a select set of Samsung SmartThings devices. These include air conditioners, air purifiers, robot vacuum cleaners, and lights.

At CES 2024, Samsung and Hyundai described a broader vision that would also include TVs, EV chargers, and voice commands. For now, however, the feature is limited to touchscreen-based control from the car.

Samsung’s current launch materials confirm support for air conditioners, air purifiers, robot vacuums, and lights, while earlier announcements outlined a broader long-term connected-home vision. Samsung’s current Car-to-Home release focuses on controlling supported SmartThings devices from compatible Hyundai and Kia infotainment systems.

The current service is centered on SmartThings-based in-car control and location-linked routines for supported devices in the Samsung ecosystem.

You can see a full walkthrough in our guide on SmartThings + Raspberry Pi & Homebridge, Siri HomeKit Controlled Smart Home, which shows how to bring voice control and advanced automation to your connected home

This means the system could eventually integrate more home appliances, smart TVs, and even EV chargers.

The goal is to make the vehicle function as another SmartThings endpoint, adding convenience for users across multiple connected environments.

How to set up Car-to-Home

Setting up Car-to-Home is straightforward. Drivers need to open the SmartThings app and scan the QR code displayed on the infotainment screen.

After linking accounts, users can use SmartThings Smart Routines in the vehicle, including preset Home mode and Away mode automations. Using SmartThings Routines, users can also trigger multiple devices automatically. For example, a driver leaving home can ensure all lights turn off, the robot vacuum starts, and air conditioning powers down.

Similarly, arriving home can trigger a Home mode routine that turns on supported devices such as lights, air purifiers, and air conditioning before arrival.

How does this differ from Home-to-Car?

The Home-to-Car service, launched in September 2025, lets users check vehicle status and remotely control functions such as climate control, engine start, door lock and unlock, and EV charging through SmartThings.

Car-to-Home reverses that experience, letting drivers influence their smart home from the dashboard. Together, these systems create a two-way integration between vehicles and homes.

The dual approach is designed to improve convenience for users in a connected ecosystem. Samsung envisions a world where daily routines can be managed seamlessly between home and vehicle.

The connected-home and connected-car link can coordinate tasks such as climate control and routine device actions, and earlier Samsung and Hyundai plans also referenced integrated home energy management for EV owners.

Privacy and account linking

One area still unclear is privacy and data handling. Linking home devices and car software requires sharing sensitive information across multiple systems.

The launch materials reviewed focus on feature availability and setup rather than detailed data-handling specifics for the integration. Users should refer to Samsung, Hyundai, and Kia privacy policies and connected-service terms for account and data-use details.

Despite these concerns, Samsung emphasizes convenience and control. The Car-to-Home system allows users to monitor their routines without manually checking each device. It integrates the car into the broader SmartThings ecosystem, making vehicles more than just a means of transportation.

SmartThings for business fleets

Beyond personal vehicles, Hyundai and Kia are exploring Car-to-Home applications for commercial use. Businesses with Platform Beyond Vehicles (PBVs) can use SmartThings Pro to manage in-store systems from vehicles.

Delivery and service operators could remotely control air conditioning, lighting, or digital signage in unmanned locations. This opens new possibilities for connected operations and fleet management.

Integration with SmartThings Find adds another layer of functionality. Drivers can locate vehicles using Bluetooth Low Energy even in areas with poor cellular reception.

This feature leverages the extensive Samsung device network to create a more resilient system for both personal and commercial use.

The battle for ecosystem loyalty

Car-to-Home is more than convenience; it is a move toward ecosystem lock-in. Connecting a high-cost purchase like a vehicle to home appliances encourages users to stay within the Samsung ecosystem.

A Hyundai owner with Samsung TVs and appliances may be less likely to switch to competing smart home platforms or devices.

Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) further this strategy. SDVs allow capabilities to be upgraded via software updates.

This positions connected cars as hubs for daily routines, energy management, in-vehicle health monitoring, and even pet care. The combination of hardware and software strengthens user ties to both vehicle and smart home ecosystems.

Little‑known fact: Samsung and Hyundai plan to expand in‑vehicle health monitoring and pet care solutions using SmartThings integration.

What’s next for Car-to-Home?

Earlier Samsung and Hyundai announcements described broader plans for additional device categories and overseas expansion, but the current launch materials do not provide a detailed rollout timeline or confirm the next features to ship.

Samsung says the service will expand through future software updates, building on the broader smart-home and connected-car vision the companies outlined at CES 2024.

Why it matters for smart home users

Car-to-Home represents a meaningful evolution in smart home convenience. By bridging the gap between vehicles and home devices, Samsung is making everyday routines more seamless.

Whether it’s managing energy, automating cleaning, or adjusting climate control, users can now do more with fewer manual steps.

For tech enthusiasts, this rollout signals the growing importance of connected ecosystems. Cars are no longer standalone products; they are part of a broader network linking homes, devices, and services. Samsung and Hyundai are betting that users will value this level of integration and convenience.

TL;DR

• Samsung and Hyundai launched Car-to-Home for SmartThings, allowing Hyundai and Kia drivers to control home devices from the dashboard.
• The feature supports air conditioners, air purifiers, robot vacuums, and lights through preset routines like Home mode and Away mode.
• Eligible vehicles are Hyundai and Kia models built after November 2022 with Connected Car Navigation Cockpit infotainment.
• Setup requires linking SmartThings via QR code and configuring routines for automated control.
• Car-to-Home complements the existing Home-to-Car system, creating two-way integration between homes and vehicles.
• The launch materials focus on setup, supported vehicles, and compatible device categories, while account and data-use details are governed by Samsung, Hyundai, and Kia connected-service policies.
• Commercial applications are possible through SmartThings Pro and Platform Beyond Vehicles.
• The system promotes ecosystem loyalty and positions vehicles as software-defined hubs for routines and energy management.
• Earlier Samsung and Hyundai announcements described a broader vision that included voice commands, TVs, and EV charger control, while current launch materials confirm a narrower first release centered on supported devices and routine-based controls.

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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