The 2023 Genesis GV60 unlocks using facial recognition and fingerprint ignition
Unlock your car like a smartphone: Genesis electric SUV uses facial recognition to open doors and has a fingerprint-scanner ‘start’ button – security experts say it WILL help tackle recent spike in motor thefts
- The £54,000 Genesis GV60 electric SUV will be the first mainstream car to have facial recognition locking
- Scanner on the door pillar will identify the driver so they can lock and unlock the doors with their face
- It has a fingerprint-scanning start button meaning owners will never need to carry the car key with them
Korean car-maker Genesis will next year sell a car that can be unlocked and locked using facial recognition, and has a ‘start’ button that’s a fingerprint sensor that recognises the owner.
The £54,000 GV60 electric SUV from 2023 will debut a number of state-of-the art biometric features usually reserved for smartphones, tablets and other devices – and it means motorists won’t need a key to open the doors or drive one.
Security experts exclusively told This is Money that the technology should help to curb the rise in keyless car crime that has seen motor theft numbers sky-rocket in recent years.
The car that unlocks and starts like your smartphone: The new Genesis GV60 electric SUV will be the first mainstream model that can be unlocked using the driver’s FACE
The GV60 will be the first fully-dedicated electric SUV model from market newcomer, Genesis, which is the luxury arm of popular Korean marque, Hyundai.
It will also be the world’s first mainstream car that owners can unlock using only their face, start the engine using their fingerprint and be able to leave the key behind when they’re on the move.
The ‘Face Connect’ feature uses facial recognition sensors and a ‘deep-learning image processing controller’ to identify the owner before granting entry.
The GV60, which costs from £53,905 in the UK, can be locked and unlocked using the feature.
Users will first need to set up the process in a similar way to how we upload facial recognition data to a smartphone.
The whole sequence is carried out using the Genesis Connected Services app.
Drivers will only need to access the car with the physical key once in order to set up their profile for facial recognition entry and to start the car using their fingerprint, then they can leave the keyfob somewhere for safe keeping in the future.
The facial recognition scanner is an LED indicator located on the B-pillar (the pillar separating the driver’s door from the rear passenger door).
The ‘Face Connect’ feature uses facial recognition sensors and a ‘deep-learning image processing controller’ to identify the owner before granting entry. The sensor panel is located on the driver’s-side door pillar
Drivers will only need to access the car with the physical key once in order to set up their profile for facial recognition entry, then can leave the keyfob somewhere for safe keeping in the future
The start button to turn on the electric motor is a fingerprint sensor, which owners can setup via a smartphone app. It means they won’t need to carry the physical car key at any point when driving
Genesis says all information powering the feature is ‘stored securely via encrypted software in the vehicle and managed via HMI (Human-Machine Interface),’ and says that ‘at no point is biometric data uploaded and stored remotely,’ in a bid to defuse concerns about the systems being hacked by criminals.
Drivers not comfortable with the tech can opt not to use the features if they would prefer to stick with a conventional key instead.
It adds: ‘The never-seen-before combination of face and fingerprint recognition allows customers to have a completely hassle-free experience, giving users the option to leave their car keys behind should they wish.’
Lawrence Hamilton, managing director for Genesis Motor Europe, commented: ‘We are delighted to introduce the world’s first biometric experience on a car with the 2023 new model year changes for GV60, one of our most exciting models in Europe.
‘Already featuring state-of-the-art elements, the new additions represent a further step towards innovation by introducing a never-seen-before advanced technology in the market whilst also proving Genesis’ commitment to offer a personalised and seamless experience to customers.’
The Genesis GV60 electric SUV is already on sale in the UK with prices starting from £54,000, but from 2023 it will feature the new biometric technology allowing facial-recognition entry and start-up using a fingerprint
‘It should provide an extra layer of protection against car thieves,’ say experts
How criminals steal cars using relay tactics
To target the latest – and usually high-end – motors, thieves are arming themselves with cheap technology that allows them to take cars without having to step foot into someone’s property to take the keys.
Keyless entry and keyless ignition means a driver only needs to have the car’s key on their body – in their pocket for instance – not only to unlock the doors but to start the engine.
While this is a convenience feature, it is also one that leaves owners susceptible to car crime.
Usually two thieves will work together when planning to pinch a car with keyless tech. One holds a transmitter and stands next to the car while the other stands close to the house holding an amplifier.
The amplifier can boost the signal from the key inside the property and send it to the transmitter.
The transmitter essentially becomes a ghost key and tricks the car into thinking the real key is nearby. This then opens the car and allows it to be driven away without causing any damage.
Insurers have estimated that around half of all car thefts are currently conducted in this way because criminals can do it quickly and in near silence, with gangs usually targeting vehicles in the middle of the night without raising suspicion.
Security experts have welcomed the arrival of the technology, saying it will likely help to curb the spate of keyless car thefts in recent years.
Home Office data shows that 108,542 vehicles were stolen between April 2021 and March 2022 in England and Wales – a 22 per cent increase on the previous year.
The rise is predominantly a result of a dramatic jump in the number of keyless thefts taking place in Britain, which sees criminals use ‘relay tactics’ to target expensive models with keyless entry and keyless ignition.
Criminals use cheap technology that can duplicate the signal from a keyless fob locked inside a car owner’s home.
Replicating the signal it creates, a pair of thieves can unlock the doors of a vehicle parked on the owner’s driveway.
They then use the same method to start the car and drive it away without raising suspicion.
Aviva recently revealed that cars with keyless technology are twice as likely to be pinched as those without these features, based on its own claims data.
Thatcham Research, a UK company that specialises in vehicle security and safety, said Genesis’ new features should provide an extra layer of protection against thieves using these tactics.
A spokesperson from Thatcham Research told us: ‘While we haven’t assessed this particular implementation of the technology, any measure that adds additional layers of security acts as a deterrent to thieves, who are looking for easier targets.’
The company also confirmed it will aim to test the biometric features next year to understand if it could potentially be hacked by criminals or supply an next-level layer of protection.
The Genesis GV60 will launch a number of other features from 2023.
One of these is a new ‘Digital Key’ systems, which will also allow owners to lock and unlock the car’s doors using their smartphone of smartwatch.
Customers who setup this feature will be ‘welcomed’ by the car when approaching, with the ‘puddle lamp’ – which shines from the driver’s door onto the floor below – turning on and the side mirrors opening.
Users will be able to share this feature with up to three other members of their family, partners or friends, meaning they can get in and out of the car without having a physical key.
Five tips to protect your keyless car from thieves
1. Put your keyfob in a Faraday wallet/pouch
For the best level of protection, owners of cars with keyless tech should purchase a faraday pouch or wallet. You can buy these online for as little as £5 (Halfords currently sells one for £4.50).
The pouch isolates the fob’s signal so it can’t be infiltrated by thieves.
A metal tin or box will also provide similar protective levels, as will keeping your keyfob in a fridge freezer, microwave or oven – just remember they are in there before turning on the latter two.
Also, don’t forget about your spare keys and apply the same level of care you would to your main keys or fob.
Keeping your keyless fob in a tin will block the signal and prevent thieves from duplicating it to break into your vehicle
2. Use old-school theft deterrents
A simple steering wheel lock or wheel clamp might look ugly but is a great tool to deter even the hardiest criminals.
They will act as a visual deterrent for thieves who will likely avoid them.
For a criminal to remove a steering wheel lock typically requires the use of noisy drills or saws to cut through, and therefore they are the ideal first line of defence for owners with models that have keyless car tech.
Drivers should also consider wheel clamps as well as having alarm systems and trackers (read more about these below) installed.
Owners of vans with keyless technology should also consider fitting deadbolts for additional protection, especially if they store expensive tools and items in their commercial vehicles overnight.
3. Be mindful when locking your car
It may sound simple but if your vehicle has keyless entry, make sure it is locked every time you’re not in it, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes when you’re paying to park somewhere – thieves can take an unlocked car in seconds.
When it comes to locking, many modern cars have keys with two settings – for single and double locking.
Many drivers don’t realise that on many models if you press your key fob once your car will only be single locked.
This means that if you smashed the window you could manually open the car by reaching in and pulling the handle from the inside.
These fobs require a second press of the locking button to enable all security features. It is important to read your car’s manual to understand how to securely lock your car.
4. Think carefully about where you park overnight
Most often, keyless car thefts take place on owners’ driveways. While motorists might think having their vehicle in such close proximity to their property guarantees its security, this is certainly not the case when it comes to relay thefts – quite the contrary, in fact, as it means the car is closer to where they keys are inside your home.
That’s why owners with off-street parking should consider additional measures.
Driveway parking posts are a cheap and efficient way of deterring would-be thieves.
Drivers can go one step further and install lockable gates in their driveways, while the installation of CCTV systems can provide further peace of mind.
For those without off-street parking who leave their cars on the road outside their home, you are also not safe from these criminals.
Consider parking further away from your property than usual so that criminals won’t be able to replicate your fob’s signal from inside your home.
And always try to find a space under a street light so that thieves are exposed when trying to steal your car at night.
If you live on a residential street where there are also business, park outside one with a CCTV camera installed.
5. Install a tracker
Installing a tracker system in your vehicle, such as a Thatcham approved device, offers an extra layer of security.
A tracking device won’t stop your vehicle being stolen, but it significantly increases the chances of the police recovering and returning it to you.
CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST