The Genesis G90 flagship sedan will be one of the world’s first cars to use its ‘Level 3’ autonomous driving system on public roads – allowing drivers to take their hands of the steering wheel while travelling on certain highways.
The 2023 Genesis G90 is due to launch with one of the most advanced driver assistance systems in the world when it arrives in South Korean showrooms later this year – allowing drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel on certain highways.
In a media statement, the Hyundai Motor Group – parent company to Genesis, Hyundai and Kia – announced the upcoming G90 luxury sedan will be available with ‘Level 3’ semi-autonomous driving capabilities upon its launch in South Korea before the end of the year.
As previously explained in our guide to autonomous cars, Level 3 semi-autonomous driving systems allow the car to take full control of itself on highways, letting the driver take their hands off the steering wheel when the technology is active.
Last month, Pulse News reported the South Korean government had approved Level 3 autonomous cars to be driven on public roads by the end of the 2022 – becoming the third country to do so after Japan and Germany.
The Genesis G90’s body is fitted with cameras, radars and lidar sensors to feed information on the environment surrounding the car back to the advanced driver assistance system.
Marketed by the Hyundai MotorGroup as Highway Driving Pilot (HPD), the Genesis G90’s Level 3 semi-autonomous driver assistance system will allow South Korean motorists to take their hands off the car’s steering wheel while driving on certain highways.
“HDP is a conditional automated driving feature that maintains distance from the vehicle ahead and keeps the vehicle in the lane while allowing Hands-Off for the driver on highway/motorway main section,” the Hyundai Group’s website explains.
“In case of imminent collision-risk, it performs an emergency manoeuvre. In case of feature failure or limit situation, the driver is asked to take over control. When the driver does not take control, it performs a minimum-risk manoeuvre.”
According to a media statement from Hyundai Motor Group’s Senior Vice President and Head of Autonomous Driving Centre, Woongjun Jang, the company is developing a Remote Parking Pilot (RPP) for its Level 3 semi-autonomous systems.
Also used by Mercedes-Benz, RPP would allow owners to park their cars via their smartphones without sitting in the vehicle.
The Hyundai Motor Group says it is also developing a new integrated system controller based on next-generation semi-conductors, claiming the new hardware will allow the car-maker to mass-produce vehicles capable of Level 4 and Level 5 autonomy.
As previously reported, Australian customers will miss out on the Genesis G90, with the local outpost of the luxury brand focusing on its current model line-up.
As of October 2022, Australia is yet to implement specific legislation regarding the roll-out of autonomous cars on local roads.
Mercedes-Benz has lobbied overseas governments to approve its Level 4 autonomous cars for testing on public roads, with Germany granting approval for Level 3 autonomy earlier this year.
According to an Automotive News Europe report, Mercedes-Benz began to offer its ‘Drive Pilot’ Level 3 autonomous driving system to German customers in May 2022 – available on the S-Class and EQS for €5000 ($AU7700) and €7430 ($11,500) respectively.
As exclusively reported by Drive earlier this year, a modified Mercedes-Benz S-Class had been spied on the streets of Sydney, equipped with a range of extra lidar and radar sensors.
In June this year, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) put forward a draft amendment to allow autonomous cars to drive up to 130km/h – more than double the existing 60km/h limit.
If approved, the proposal would also allow Level 3 semi-autonomous cars to perform automatic lane changes on freeways, rather than lane-keeping.
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