Hyundai to use smart fingerprint technology in 2019 Santa Fe SUV

Hyundai Motor Company recently announced the world’s first smart fingerprint technology, allowing drivers to unlock and start their vehicle by just placing their finger on a sensor.

To unlock the vehicle, the driver just needs to place a finger on the sensor located on the door handle. The encrypted fingerprint information will be identified and delivered to the fingerprint controller inside the vehicle. The driver can also easily start the vehicle by touching the ignition that is also equipped with a fingerprint scanning sensor.

The technology can also provide a customized driving environment as it can match the driver’s preference with the fingerprint data and automatically adjust seating positions, connected car features, and side-view mirror angles.

As for security, it has capacitance recognition, which detects differentials in the electricity level in various parts of the fingertip, and prevents forgeries and faked fingerprints. The technology’s chance of misrecognizing other person’s fingerprint as the driver’s is only 1 in 50,000 making it five times more effective than conventional vehicle keys, including smart keys. It also uses real-time learning of fingerprints supported by ‘dynamic update’ system to continually improve its success rate.

“In the future, Hyundai Motor plans to further expand the application of the technology to allow the automated adjustment of temperature, location of steering wheels, and many other features which will be tailored to driver’s preferences. This will ultimately offer quality driving experience to each and every Hyundai customer.” said Albert Biermann, President and Head of Research & Development Division of the Hyundai Motor Company.

Hyundai plans to implement the technology initially in Santa Fe SUV model that is to be released in select markets on the first quarter of 2019.

source: Hyundai UK