The used-car market is undergoing a major evolution in terms of transparency after Korean giant Hyundai announced a new innovative service for its certified vehicles on the secondary market in South Korea. Prospective buyers will now have access to detailed information about exactly how the vehicle was driven by its previous owner, as well as whether it was serviced on time and in accordance with all the manufacturer's recommendations.
This valuable information is generated by integrating data from the Bluelink telematics system and the official service network, with the complete driving and maintenance history provided strictly on the basis of prior consent obtained from the previous owner. The driving safety assessment itself is calculated based on 1,000 kilometres driven during the last 90 days of operation, with the algorithm carefully taking into account aggressive manoeuvres such as sudden acceleration, harsh braking and rapid pull-aways, as well as frequent night-time journeys. In this way, the buyer gains a clear understanding of the vehicle's actual workload, which cannot be determined solely by its age and mileage.
The service history includes complete records from authorised Bluehands and Hyundai Hi-Tech centres, including timely changes of engine oil, pollen filters, coolant and other key consumables. Although, as part of its certified programme, Hyundai replaces the main consumables during preparation for sale regardless of the previous history, the old records provide valuable information about the overall care given to the vehicle. For electric models, the focus is on the condition of the traction battery, with a special SOH indicator added to track temperature deviations, differences in voltage between the cells, and the history of charging and discharging cycles.
The new service builds on the existing pre-sale inspection, in which proprietary digital equipment checks Hyundai vehicles at 272 points, while luxury Genesis models are inspected at 287 points. Although the certified used-car programme is launching in South Korea, automotive experts expect this useful practice to be introduced to the European market in the near future, where transparency when buying a used car is of paramount importance to consumers.