How Kia Connect app exposed dealer personnel misusing customer's Seltos
What's the story
In a shocking incident, a Kia dealership personnel from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was caught taking a customer's Seltos for joyrides.
Reportedly, the mid-size SUV was sent to M/s Sun Globe dealership to repair minor accidental damages on October 26.
However, it was the Kia Connect app that notified the car owner's spouse, Priyank Shah, about the car's potential misuse and joyrides by the personnel.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Connected car features have become popular among young as well as tech-centric buyers in recent years.
Kia Motors has been leading the way with the Kia Connect mobile app, which provides around 66 features and also supports smartwatch connectivity for ease of use and access to their cars.
Here, let's look at how this advanced app helped a Seltos owner track his vehicle.
Incident
Car made multiple unauthorized trips, including overnight stay
Shah dropped his Seltos at the dealership in October to repair minor accidental damages and was informed about the same being done on November 25.
However, to his amazement, the Kia Connect app started pinging updates regarding the SUV's usage on November 26.
Tracking the car's whereabouts via telematics suite shocked Shah, as it was revealed that the vehicle made multiple unauthorized trips.
Information
Details of trips by Shah's Seltos
The app revealed the Seltos moved out of the service center on November 26 and made multiple stops, including a fishy one at "Desi Sharab Shop" near Ashima Mall, Bhopal. After this, it had an overnight stay outside the dealership before returning the next day.
Response
Service advisor fired by dealership
Later, Shah made an unannounced visit to the dealership on November 27 to find the car missing.
He raised a complaint, providing concrete evidence through screenshots, which led to the dealership firing the service advisor who handled Shah's Seltos SUV, per RushLane's report
Kia Motors also replied to Shah via mail and assured him that necessary action would be taken from their end.
About
Meanwhile, here's a look at 2023 Kia Seltos
The 2023 Kia Seltos features a signature "Tiger Nose" grille, LED headlights with integrated DRLs, auto-folding ORVMs, connected-type LED taillamps, and 18-inch dual-tone wheels.
Its sporty cabin with a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, a Bose sound system, a dual 10.25-inch screen setup, and Level-2 ADAS functions.
Powering the SUV is a 1.5-liter petrol engine, a 1.5-liter diesel motor, or a 1.5-liter turbo-petrol mill.