Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Genesis GV90 Neolun proves safety of pillarless design
Manfred Harrer, president and head of R&D at Hyundai Motor Group, delivers an opening remark during a tech briefing sesession of Genesis GV90 world premiere in San Francisco, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of Genesis
By Lee Min-hyung
Luxury carmaker bets big on new electric luxury SUV
SAN FRANCISCO — Genesis has engineered the GV90 Neolun with a string of hidden structural reinforcements to ensure top-level safety despite the absence of a conventional B-pillar, executives from the luxury carmaker said Thursday (local time).
The GV90 Neolun features the Arch Gate, a world-first independently opening coach-door system that eliminates the conventional B-pillar between the front and rear doors, creating a wide, unobstructed opening.
Removing the visible pillar, however, does not mean sacrificing structural strength, according to Lee Dae-hee, head of Genesis’ body design group.
“We moved the structural functions normally handled by the B-pillar into the doors,” Lee said. “The hidden B-pillar structure uses two 1.8-gigapascal-strength steel beams arranged vertically and horizontally, with upper stoppers and impact hooks reinforcing the structure.”
Genesis also incorporated a “hidden roll cage” — a separate structural framework built into the body to surround the passenger compartment. Combined with the hidden B-pillar structure, the system is designed to deliver what Genesis describes as class-leading body stiffness.
“We built another structural framework around the passenger compartment inside the body,” Lee said. “This allows us to maintain a high level of body stiffness even with the conventional B-pillar removed.”
The door mechanism itself required substantial engineering. A dual-motion hinge supports a rear door weighing nearly 70 kilograms, allowing the door to slide and rotate simultaneously.
“Supporting a door that weighs nearly 70 kilograms while making it perform two different movements was a significant challenge,” Lee said. “The dual-motion hinge enables the door to operate smoothly while keeping it stable.”
Genesis' GV90 Neolun flagship electric SUV / Courtesy of Genesis
Genesis has also applied triple-layer sealing around the doors to block potential paths for wind and road noise.
“Even at high speeds, we wanted the cabin to remain quiet and free from wind noise,” Lee said. “The triple-layer sealing blocks the paths through which noise and air could enter.”
Beyond conventional crash protection, Genesis engineers focused heavily on rollover accidents, which Lee Seung-mok, head of the integrated safety development group at Genesis, described as relatively uncommon but particularly dangerous.
“Rollover accidents do not happen frequently, but when they do, the consequences can be extremely serious,” the executive said. “That is why we paid particular attention to rollover protection in developing the GV90.”
The SUV is equipped with what Genesis calls the world’s first roof airbag and has 12 airbags in total. Engineers also strengthened the roof to about 13,924 kilograms-force, a level Genesis says is exceptionally high among vehicles in the segment.
“The roof is one of the most important parts of the body in a rollover,” he said. “We significantly increased its strength to provide greater protection for occupants.”
Additional systems are designed to manage crash forces before they reach the cabin or battery. Deflectors at the front redirect impact forces outward, while subframes and sliders underneath the vehicle help lift the vehicle during a collision before forces can reach the battery.
“Safety is not about protecting occupants from just one type of crash,” he said. “We designed the GV90 to manage different types of impacts and protect both the passenger compartment and the battery.”
The result is a safety architecture designed to make the GV90’s unconventional pillarless design compatible with the structural demands of a large luxury SUV, according to the executive.