Genesis Just Realized Its Own Paint Color Can Trigger Sudden Braking
A bizarre ADAS issue on the Genesis G90 is linked to aluminum-rich silver paint affecting radar performance
https://www.carscoops.com/author/stephen-rivers/
by Stephen Rivers
Genesis G90 recalled as one of its paint colors triggers false radar alerts.
The exterior shade;s aluminum content disrupts the corner radar sensors.
Owners of the car must avoid HDA until a sealed bumper beam is installed.
It’s not every day we hear that a luxury car gets recalled for being too shiny, but that’s exactly what’s happening here. Genesis has issued a small yet oddly captivating recall that reads more like a case study in radar physics than a typical safety notice.
Read: Hyundai, Kia, Genesis Recall Nearly Every Single e-GMP EV In America
The issue? The flagship G90 sedan may unexpectedly slam the brakes because its silver paint reflects too much radar. No, seriously; phantom braking in this case isn’t a software glitch or sensor defect, but a result of the car’s paint interfering with its own driver-assistance system.
According to a new NHTSA filing (25V833), just 483 G90s from the 2023 to 2026 model years are affected in the United States.
What’s Triggering It?
Genesis engineers traced a string of false-object detections in the G90’s Highway Drive Assist (HDA) system to a single external factor: Savile Silver, a premium paint color whose aluminum-heavy formulation produces reflections that corner-radar sensors mistake for a vehicle drifting into your lane.
The report explains that the radar signals mounted at the G90’s front corners can bounce off the aluminum flakes in the silver bumper cover, travel through the bumper beam, and come back as if something were lurking in the adjacent lane.
More: Stop Sale Issued For Hyundai Ioniq 5 As Sonata Gas Tanks Risk Melting
The luxury sedan, believing it’s seconds away from a collision, can apply sudden braking, sometimes without warning, especially below 12 mph or when the Lane Change Assist feature is activated.
Engineers replicated the behavior only on the Savile Silver bumper covers, confirming that no other G90 color triggered the effect. Testing continued through the summer and fall of 2025 before Hyundai/Genesis determined the paint itself was the culprit.
Considering how long it took engineers to figure this out, it goes without saying that customers must have been pretty confused as well.
An Owner’s Account
At least one complaint at NHTSA seems connected. The customer writes:
“For almost a years time I have been notifying the dealership of a serious safety issue with the vehicle. There is a condition where the vehicle slams on the brakes on the highway for no apparent reason. The vehicle slams on the brakes at highway speeds while straddling two lanes. A vehicle in either lane being me could easily crash into the rear of my car when it does this.
Also: Genesis Designed The G90 Performance Wagon BMW And Mercedes Never Dared To
It took the dealership and Genesis corporate almost 8 months to confirm the problem, even though I had videos of the event happening. They wouldn’t accept my video evidence. Consequently, they finally verified the problem and have been trying to fix it for months. They have no idea why it is doing this or how to fix it. But they have deemed the vehicle to be unsafe to drive and will not give it back to me.”
The Fix in Progress
Genesis confirms that there have been 11 reports of the issue, though no crashes or injuries. The automaker told owners to stop using Highway Driving Assist immediately until repairs are done.
Dealers will replace the front bumper beam with a new sealed unit designed to block stray radar reflections, and the automaker is temporarily discontinuing Savile Silver production until the fix is integrated.
