South Korean luxury carmaker Genesis has issued an official recall for its top-of-the-line G90 sedan, after it was determined that a specific color shade could cause safety system malfunctions. According to a report submitted to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem was recorded in a total of 483 vehicles produced between 2023 and 2026 and present on the US market.
Physics vs electronics
The investigation showed that it was the cause of the problem premium a shiny silver color called Savile Silver. Due to the high proportion of aluminum particles in its formulation, this paint reflects radar beams in a way that confuses the sensors located at the corners of the bumper. These sensors register the glare from the surface of the car itself and interpret it as another vehicle entering the lane, which the Highway Drive Assist semi-autonomous driving system interprets as an imminent danger of a collision.
The consequence of the unwanted reflection is the so-called phantom braking, i.e. the car suddenly activates the brakes for no real reason. The engineers determined that the signals bounce off the colored aluminum flakes, pass through the bumper bracket and return to the sensor. Such system behavior is most pronounced at speeds below 20 km/h or when using the automatic lane change function, which represents a serious safety risk for passengers and other road users.
Tests have confirmed that no other color in the G90 range causes similar disturbances. By the time the recall was announced, 11 reports of improper system operation were recorded, but luckily no traffic accidents or injuries related to this specific technical defect were recorded. Genesis has advised owners of affected vehicles to immediately stop using the Highway Driving Assist system until the necessary repairs are made.
The service intervention will include replacing the front bumper mount with a new, isolated sensor unit designed to block stray radar reflections. As an additional precaution, the manufacturer has temporarily suspended production of vehicles in the disputed color.