Kia PV5 Infotainment System Wins Bronze and Kia x The Ocean Cleanup Campaign Named Finalist at 2026 IDEA Awards
Kia won Bronze at the 2026 IDEA Awards for its PV5 Infotainment System, and its Ocean Cleanup campaign was named a Finalist.
- 42 million kilograms
- 7
What Happened
At the 2026 International Design Excellence Awards, Kia Corporation received a Bronze award for the PV5 Infotainment System, and its global campaign with The Ocean Cleanup was named a Finalist. The honors were awarded in the Digital Interaction and Social Impact Design categories, respectively. Kia says the awards highlight its commitment to innovation across mobility, sustainability, and design.
The International Design Excellence Awards are presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). They are described as one of the world's most prestigious design competitions, recognizing excellence in design and innovation across a wide range of industries. Entries are evaluated on design innovation, user benefit, aesthetics, societal impact, and business value.
- Software-Defined Mobility Experience: a scalable software platform designed for Kia's PBV ecosystem that enables flexible business, service and lifestyle applications.
- Optimized 16:9 Wide Display Interface: Kia's first infotainment user interface for dedicated PBVs, with a 16:9 widescreen layout and multi-view capability for simultaneous media, camera and HVAC functions.
- Integrated Design Language: shared visual elements including typography, icons, widgets and media experiences that deliver a consistent user experience across physical and digital touchpoints.
The campaign, 'Kia x The Ocean Cleanup: Creating a Wave of Movement, Together', was developed as a seven-part video series. It reflects Kia and The Ocean Cleanup's shared vision of a plastic-free ocean. The effort builds on Kia's ongoing support for The Ocean Cleanup, whose work has removed more than 42 million kilograms of marine waste to date.
- Purposeful Storytelling: environmental data is translated into engaging content designed to raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution and inspire collective action.
- Shared Sustainability Vision: the campaign connects The Ocean Cleanup's marine plastic removal work with Kia's 'Movement' philosophy, reinforcing both organizations' shared commitment to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
- Design for Social Impact: a consistent visual language centered on movement unifies the series and demonstrates the role design can play in communicating sustainability initiatives.
42 million kilograms
Kia's campaign support builds on this ongoing removal effort.
Why this matters
IDEA recognition from the Industrial Designers Society of America is a signal that Kia’s user interfaces and campaigns are judged among the world’s best. For the PV5, that means the software and display experience matters as much as the vehicle itself in an electric PBV. For Kia, being a finalist for The Ocean Cleanup campaign links its brand to a tangible environmental effort that has already removed more than 42 million kilograms of marine waste.
Terms in This Story
- PBV
- Platform Beyond Vehicle; a modular electric vehicle platform designed to be adapted for multiple commercial and personal use cases.
- Infotainment system
- In-vehicle hardware and software that combines information, entertainment, and controls such as media and climate.
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