► Unlock your car like your iPhone
► 2019 Santa Fe’s fingerprint tech
► Launching in sprint 2019
Hyundai has announced new fingerprint locks to let drivers gain entry and start their car at the touch of a finger.
Special touch sensors built into the door handle and starter button of the new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe will recognise the unique fingerprint of owners and provide access for the right profile. It’ll even set up each driver’s preferences, adjusting door mirrors, seating position and radio stations individually.
It mimics the unlocking of an Apple iPhone and Hyundai calls it the world’s first application in a car. It will be rolled out in the first quarter of 2019 in select markets.
Fingerprint recognition tech: the end of the humble car key?
Although keyless entry and ignition have become widespread in recent years (with some worrying lapse in security in some cases), most cars still depend on a physical key in some shape or form.
If successful, Hyundai’s new system could spell the end of the bulky key in your pocket. To keep it secure, the Koreans will have regular updates over-the-air to keep the software patched to the latest version and the company claims the chance of misidentifying a driver is one in 50,000.
‘In the future, Hyundai plans to further expand the application of the technology to allow the adjustment of temperature, steering wheel position, and many other features which will be tailored to driver’s preferences,’ said Albert Biermann, Hyundai’s head of research and development.
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