The 2023 Genesis GV60 unlocks using facial recognition and fingerprint ignition

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 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).

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.’

‘It should provide an extra layer of protection against car thieves,’ say experts

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.