PRO-NET, a wholly owned subsidiary of PROTON Holdings Berhad, has officially announced a massive step forward in Malaysia’s electric vehicle (EV) evolution.
In alignment with the Government’s National Automotive Policy (NAP 2020) and the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), the company is localising its entire digital ecosystem, connected services, and charging infrastructures.
Backed by a substantial investment of more than RM40 million into local digital infrastructure—with a heavy focus on Telematics Service Provider (TSP) development—Proton e.MAS is extending the definition of automotive localisation beyond manufacturing and deeply into the digital realm.
Malaysia’s First Self-Developed Vehicle Connectivity Platform
Proton e.MAS is part of a broader, sophisticated connected vehicle network that currently serves more than 300,000 vehicles across the nation, establishing it as Malaysia’s first self-developed vehicle connectivity ecosystem.
The platform powers critical real-time features including:
- Advanced Remote Vehicle Control: Seamless interaction between drivers and their EVs.
- Connected Infotainment: Over-the-air (OTA) updates and localized in-car applications.
- Charging Network Integration: Built-in digital tracking for chargers nationwide.
- The Dedicated Proton e.MAS App: A unified mobile gateway for owners.
Demonstrating the rapid consumer adoption of smart services, the platform has already securely handled more than 8 million remote control downstream requests for new energy vehicles to date.
Tailored Around Malaysian Drivers, Lifestyles, and Digital Sovereignty
“Proton e.MAS is committed to building a complete connected mobility ecosystem that is designed around Malaysian drivers, Malaysian infrastructures, and Malaysian everyday needs,” said Mr. Zhang Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of PRO-NET. “Localisation is not only about where our technology is hosted, but how our services are developed to make EV ownership more convenient, familiar, and relevant for Malaysians.”
To achieve this, the ecosystem integrates deeply tailored, culturally relevant features. It offers complete Bahasa Malaysia language support, localized in-car navigation maps, a digital Qibla compass, and the integrated TheNoor prayer application.
Crucially, the brand has achieved an impressive engineering feat by establishing a fully local supply chain for cockpit equipment, making its localized infotainment hardware entirely manufactured inside Malaysia. Furthermore, to protect national data sovereignty, the cloud deployment is completely hosted locally at Telekom Malaysia (TM) data centres, ensuring all user and vehicle telematics data remains securely within local borders.
Strengthening the National Charging Grid
A high-tech vehicle demands a high-performing charging infrastructure. Alongside the core connectivity rollouts, PRO-NET has funneled more than RM4 million into its integrated local charging sub-platform. The ecosystem’s Integrated Live Charging Map provides seamless, live access to more than 4,300 charging points nationwide, effectively covering roughly 90% of Malaysia’s total public charging network.
Through the official app, users can easily locate, map routes to, and unlock charging piles on the fly. This charging infrastructure platform has already successfully registered approximately 11,000 active users, facilitated 30,000 independent charging orders, and delivered close to 790,000 kWh of clean energy back into local EVs.
By anchoring high-end AI software, local hardware supply chains, and localized cloud frameworks into a singular entity, Proton e.MAS is effectively building a practical and reliable digital template for the future of Malaysian motoring. Drivers wanting to explore the changing landscape can download the official PROTON e.MAS app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
