From transponder keys, to internal tumbler fobs and keyless-go systems, trying to remain more than one step ahead of the opportunistic miscreant, or the ‘steal-to-order’ car thief, has been a woeful exercise. Fortunately, gone are the days of a Ford key being able to open any number of other Fords but the threat remains.
Hyundai Motor Company has announced the world’s first smart fingerprint technology that allows drivers to not only unlock doors but also to start and stop their vehicles. The company plans to implement the technology initially in the Santa Fe SUV model set to be released in select markets in the first quarter of 2019.
To unlock the vehicle, the driver needs to place a finger on the sensor located on the door handle. The encrypted fingerprint information would be identified and delivered to the fingerprint controller inside the vehicle. The driver could also start the vehicle readily by touching the ignition-pad, which is also equipped with a fingerprint scanning sensor.
Accepting that fingerprint technology is an assured means of also creating a customised driving environment, the matching of driver preferences, with fingerprint data, allows the vehicle to adjust seating positions automatically, as well as link all connected car features, as well as door mirror angles set to each driver. As many vehicles have more than one driver, no positive comment has been made so far about how many scans may be possible.
Yet, Albert Biermann, President and Head of Research & Development Division of the Hyundai Motor Company, said: “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. Ultimately, our intention is to offer a better tailored driving experience to each and every Hyundai customer.”
Hyundai has also addressed the security issues on the smart fingerprint technology. With capacitance recognition, which detects differentials in the electricity level in various parts of the fingertip, which is of course unique to each of us, the fingerprint technology prevents forgeries and faked fingerprints efficiently. The technology’s chance of misrecognising another person’s fingerprint as the driver’s is only 1 in 50,000, which makes it five times more effective than conventional vehicle access, including smart keys. Moreover, through real-time learning of fingerprints, supported by a ‘dynamic update’ system, the fingerprint system will continue to improve its success rate.
Hyundai is going to apply the fingerprint technology in select markets and expand the program gradually to other markets. Hyundai Motor also plans to continue the implementation of other customisable technologies to its vehicle line-up, to strengthen a technological leadership in the future mobility market.
While not wishing to burst Hyundai’s bubble, I worry that ‘electrical impulses’ apart, both James Bond 007 and Star Trek’s Captain Jean Luc Pickard have used adhesive strips to replicate finger and hand-print access to ‘secret’ locations in well-publicised TV shows. While any security improvement should be welcomed to protect our favourite machines, perhaps Hyundai has contemplated the alternatives.
