Hyundai Replaces Car Keys with Fingerprints in 2019 Santa Fe

Hyundai is planning to replace car keys with fingerprint scans in the 2019 Santa Fe, reports ZDNet.

The car maker says it’s installing capacitive fingerprint sensors in the car’s ignition and its door handle. Multiple users will be able to register their fingerprints, and the car’s mirror and seat position settings will automatically adjust to the preferences of whoever’s in the driver’s seat, based on the fingerprint scans. Later, additional settings such as temperature controls will also be linked to users’ biometric profiles, Hyundai says.

It’s an innovative move, but it also reflects a growing trend in the automotive industry. The 2019 Subaru Forester, for example, features a facial recognition system that also adjusts vehicle settings depending on the driver, and additionally assesses the driver’s face for signs of fatigue, allowing it to engage driver assistance features when necessary.

Hyundai says its biometric Santa Fe cars will launch in China in Q1 of next year. But presumably, if the fingerprint scanning features prove popular with consumers, the South Korea-based car maker will bring this technology to more markets going forward.

Source: ZDNet