Hyundai Introduces World’s First Smart Fingerprint Access In 2019 Santa Fe

Hyundai has announced the world’s first smart fingerprint technology that allows drivers to lock/unlock and even start their vehicle by using just their fingerprint. Hyundai will introduce the technology in the 2019 Santa Fe SUV, which hits selected markets in Q1 of next year.

To unlock the vehicle, the driver 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 also provides a customized driving environment: matching biometric information with pre-saved vehicle settings, such as the seating positions, connected car features, and side-view mirror angles according to the driver.

Hyundai has addressed the security issues of the fingerprint scanner with capacitance recognition; it detects differentials in the electricity level in various parts of the fingertip. The fingerprint technology efficiently prevents forgeries and faked fingerprints.

Hyundai claims the system’s chance of misrecognizing another person’s fingerprint as the driver’s is 1 in 50,000; making it five times more effective than conventional vehicle keys, including smart keys.

The system is also supported by a ‘dynamic update’ feature that allows real-time learning of fingerprints, thereby continually improving its success rate. 

Hyundai plans to introduce the technology in selected markets (as yet unconfirmed), and will continue to implement other customizable technologies in the near future.