It’s not often that a high-end luxury vehicle becomes the subject of a recall because it appears too reflective, yet that is precisely what has happened in this unusual case involving Genesis. The company has announced a small but surprisingly fascinating recall—one that reads less like a conventional safety advisory and more like an unexpected lesson in how radar waves behave when they meet certain materials. The brand’s flagship sedan, the Genesis G90, has been found to occasionally engage its brakes without reason, and the source of this behavior turns out to be neither a software malfunction nor a faulty sensor. Instead, the car’s own metallic paint is confusing its driver-assistance hardware.
A recently published NHTSA document (campaign number 25V833) explains that only 483 G90 models, covering the 2023 through 2026 production years and sold within the United States, are included in the recall. After receiving reports of random braking events, Genesis engineers conducted an in-depth investigation. Their findings pointed toward a very specific and unexpected culprit: the premium exterior color known as Savile Silver. This particular shade uses a formulation rich in aluminum flakes, giving it a distinctive, upscale shimmer. However, that same shimmering effect appears to create reflections that the G90’s corner-mounted radar sensors interpret as nearby vehicles drifting too close to the sedan.
According to the report, the radar units positioned at the front corners of the vehicle can have their signals bounce off these aluminum particles within the bumper’s paint layer. The reflected signal may then pass through the bumper’s internal structure, returning to the sensors in a manner that resembles an object or car approaching from the side. When the system processes this misleading information, it may assume that a collision is imminent. As a result, the G90’s Highway Drive Assist system can intervene and apply the brakes abruptly, often without any external trigger. This unusual behavior is most likely to occur at lower speeds—particularly below 12 mph—or when the Lane Change Assist function is active.
Genesis engineers spent months testing the issue throughout the summer and fall of 2025, repeatedly reproducing the phantom-object readings. Their experiments showed that the problem appeared only when Savile Silver bumper covers were installed; no other color caused similar interference. Once this was confirmed, Hyundai/Genesis concluded that the paint formulation itself was responsible. One can only imagine the confusion among drivers experiencing sudden braking with no vehicle or obstacle in sight.
So far, Genesis has recorded 11 instances of the problem, although fortunately no accidents or injuries have occurred. As a precaution, the company has instructed owners of affected vehicles to deactivate Highway Drive Assist until repairs are completed. To resolve the issue, dealers will install a redesigned, fully sealed front bumper beam intended to prevent unwanted radar reflections. Additionally, Genesis has paused production of Savile Silver until the updated components are incorporated into manufacturing.