Genesis Leans on Older Driver Aids to Avoid Chip-Related Delays
Instead of Highway Driving Assist II, some models will make do with the original Highway Driving Assist.
The chip shortage is affecting automakers in different ways. Some mostly assembled vehicles are left in lots waiting for parts to arrive, while others are making do without select creature comforts like passenger-side lumbar support.
Over at Genesis, the automaker is relying on tried-and-true tech to help weather the storm: Genesis has recently removed the Highway Driving Assist II driver-aid suite from its G80, GV70 and GV80 models, Edmunds reports, citing confirmation from the automaker.
"Our priority is to provide the best solutions for our customers to ensure timely delivery of their new vehicles, especially considering the global supply chain challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," a Genesis spokesperson wrote in an email to Roadshow. "We have chosen not to remove any feature content from our lineup but will temporarily suspend inclusion of certain feature enhancements." The spokesperson said the company will bring the full complement of options back "as soon as possible."
So what changes? Highway Driving Assist I still combines lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and active steering assist to help the vehicle stay in its lane while aligning with the flow of traffic. HDA II is a little more involved, relying on machine learning to adapt to a specific driver's style, in addition to offering automated lane changes. All the major functionalities between the systems are the same, this just affects the cutting-edge ancillary bits.
The customer will also notice a small cost reduction associated with this shuffle. Vehicles that have HDA I instead of HDA II will receive a $200 discount on their window sticker. The suite is standard on G80 and GV80, while it's optional on the GV70.
According to Edmunds' report, the move was necessary in order to keep production moving as close to a normal clip as possible. HDA II is also available on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 electric cars, but as of this writing it's unclear if Genesis' sister brands will end up experiencing the same fate.