MG Motor took India by storm with the "internet inside" moniker with the Hector a couple of years ago. Since then it has progressed to a higher segment with the Gloster showcasing high-end ADAS capabilities, it has broken into the EV space with the ZS EV and now it wants to play up to the masses with a compact SUV which will be called the Astor. For the Astor, MG has partnered with India's biggest telecom operator, Reliance Jio which will be providing its connectivity suite for the car to provide a best in class 4G based connected car stack.
The MG ZS petrol SUV is likely to be called the MG Astor in India. It will be a compact SUV
Jio's 4G network will provide high-speed in-car connectivity for the Astor. Reliance Jio will provide the e-SIM and IoT tech that provides access to real-time infotainment and telematics. Jio also has one of the widest networks in India and is likely to be one of the first to deploy 5G in India which makes this partnership critical from a long term perspective as connected car tech will be fuelled by 5G.
The MG Astor is the petrol powered variant of the ZS EV and it will go up against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Škoda Kushaq in India. The ZS EV cost upwards of Rs 25 lakhs, but this car could be considerably cheaper and will likely be the one of the more affordable car MG Motors offers in the market, apart from the Hector.
MG ZS EV is one of the more interesting cars offered by the marquee and soon will have a petrol variant
"Technology and innovation are leading the connected car space in the automobile industry. The current trend focuses increasingly on software-driven devices and our current partnership with a tech-innovator like Jio in the IoT space is a step towards establishing MG Motor as a tech leader in the automobile industry. This partnership will ensure our next mid-sized connected SUV further simplifies the driving experience and ensures safety backed by technology," said MG Motors India president and managing director, Rajeev Chaba.
"Jio has been building an ecosystem of cutting-edge technology products and solutions for Indian users. Our partnership with MG Motor India is another important step in that journey. Jio's eSIM, IoT and Streaming solutions will enable MG users to access real-time connectivity, infotainment, and telematics. It is a commitment to technological evolution in the automobile industry with innovation as its key pillar," said Kiran Thomas, director and president of Jio.
In just 5 years Jio has become India's biggest telecom operators
This also means Reliance Jio's suite of services could be integrated with the iSmart interface that MG provides with its cars. For instance, as of now Times Internet owned Gaana.com is the default music streaming app, but with this deal, Jio Saavn could be added apart from the assortment of Jio apps like Jio cinema which will allow users to watch the on-demand video.
While India is strictly a 4G only market, Reliance Jio has developed its own 5G stack which it will deploy after the spectrum is allotted by the government in auctions that are slated to happen later this year. 5G still is a couple of years away, but this partnership is likely a stepping stone to bigger things, especially for an automaker that made connected cars sexy in India.
