Genesis introduces facial recognition for unlocking cars

Genesis is rolling out a model year update to its all-electric GV60, the car that shares its platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The luxury brand of the Hyundai Motor Group is introducing a facial recognition system for unlocking the car, a world first. The system uses the technology that is well and truly integrated in smartphone land and makes it unnecessary to carry a phone, smartwatch or key to use your car. Unlocking is done through facial recognition, you start by placing one of your fingers on the fingerprint scanner. The car remembers the faces and fingerprints of up to four people.

From the implementation of the model year update in 2023, the new system is one of the options when assembling a Genesis GV60, a car that is currently only for sale in Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom in Europe. We cannot yet report any news about the possible arrival of Genesis to the Netherlands. The last time we wrote about this, 2024 was the cautiously quoted target year for the possible introduction.

Privacy

Genesis writes in its press release for the model year update that the facial recognition system and the fingerprint scanner never store the data required for the systems in an external place. In addition, they will be encrypted in the software of the car. According to the brand, there is therefore no reason for any concerns about the privacy of your biometric data.

The fingerprint scanner of the system can be found in the interior, the scanner for facial recognition places Genesis on the B-pillar. Although the technology is now optional, the model year update also offers more room for the standard equipment of the GV60. For example, Swiss, German and British buyers of the model can always enjoy, among other things, a massage function in the driver’s seat, seat heating in the front and rear and more extensive ambient lighting.

The facial recognition scanner places Genesis on the B-pillar of the GV60.